Kenny Easley facts for kids
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Easley in 1986
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| No. 45 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | January 15, 1959 Chesapeake, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 206 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Oscar F. Smith (South Norfolk, Virginia) |
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| College: | UCLA (1977–1980) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Kenny Easley (born January 15, 1959) is a former American football player. He was a talented safety in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played for the Seattle Seahawks from 1981 to 1987. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the UCLA Bruins.
Kenny Easley was known as "the Enforcer" because of his strong play. Many people consider him one of the best defensive players of his time. He is also one of the greatest players in Seahawks history. In 1984, he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl five times during his career. Easley's career ended in 1987 due to a serious kidney disease. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
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Early Life and High School Football
Kenny Easley was born and grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia. He went to Oscar F. Smith High School and graduated in 1977. He was an amazing football player in high school. He was the first player in Virginia high school history to both rush (run with the ball) and pass for over 1,000 yards in one season. He was recognized as an all-state and All-American player at the quarterback position.
In 1996, his high school honored Kenny Easley and two other football stars. They named their football stadium "Beard–DeLong–Easley Field."
College Career at UCLA
Kenny Easley was a highly sought-after player. About 350 colleges wanted him to play for them! He chose to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He played for the Bruins football team.
As a freshman in 1977, he started ten games. He made nine interceptions (catching the ball from the other team). He also made 93 tackles, which was a new record for a freshman at UCLA. Easley was the first player in his conference to be named all-conference for four years in a row. He finished his college career with 19 interceptions and 324 tackles.
Easley was chosen as an All-American three times (1978, 1979, 1980). His jersey number 5 was retired by the Bruins, meaning no other player can wear it. In 1991, he was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.
Professional Football Career
The Seattle Seahawks chose Kenny Easley as the fourth overall pick in the 1981 NFL draft. He quickly became a starter in his rookie year, 1981. He had three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. This earned him the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
In 1983, Chuck Knox became the Seahawks' new head coach. Easley became a very important part of Coach Knox's defense. He won the AFC Defensive Player of the Year Award that season.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year
In 1984, Easley had an incredible season. He led the entire NFL with ten interceptions, which tied a team record. He returned two of these interceptions for touchdowns. For his outstanding performance, he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He was the first safety to win this award since 1973.
During a game in 1984 against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seahawks made history. They returned four interceptions for touchdowns, including one by Easley. This broke the record for most interception touchdowns in a single game. Easley also started returning punts for the team that season.
After this amazing season, Easley signed a five-year contract with the Seahawks. This made him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league. In 1985, he was chosen for his fourth straight Pro Bowl, a team record at the time.
Later Career and Retirement
Easley was injured for much of the 1986 season. He hurt his knee and later had ankle surgery. In 1987, Easley was a leader for the Seahawks players during the 1987 NFL strike. He worked with other players to try and get a new agreement with the league. He also spoke out against using violence during the strike.
After the 1987 season, the Seahawks tried to trade Easley to the Phoenix Cardinals. However, during a required team physical, doctors found that Easley had a severe kidney disease. This health issue meant the trade could not happen. Easley announced his retirement a few months later. He later received a new kidney in Seattle.
After Football
After retiring from football, Kenny Easley explored new ventures. He became involved in owning a car dealership. He also became an owner of the Norfolk Nighthawks, a team in a semi-professional arena football league. The Nighthawks played their first games in 2000 and were popular with fans.
Reconnecting with the Seahawks
For many years after his retirement, Easley did not have much contact with the Seahawks. However, things changed when Paul Allen became the new owner of the team. Allen wanted to honor Easley by inducting him into the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor. Easley accepted this honor, which helped him reconnect with the team.
Easley was named an honorary captain for Super Bowl XLIX. In 2017, the Seahawks officially retired his jersey number 45. This means no other Seahawks player will wear that number again.
Legacy and Hall of Fame
In his seven-year NFL career, Kenny Easley had 32 interceptions, which he returned for 538 yards. He also scored three defensive touchdowns. He was a key player for the Seahawks and is remembered as one of the best safeties in NFL history.
In 2002, Easley was inducted into the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor. He was also named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, which recognizes the best players of that decade.
In 2016, Kenny Easley was chosen as a senior finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In February 2017, he was officially elected into the Hall of Fame, a great honor for his amazing career.
