Leroy Kelly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Leroy Kelly

Kelly playing for the Browns in 1971
No. 44
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1942-05-20) May 20, 1942 (age 83) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:	Philadelphia (PA) Gratz
College:	Morgan State (1960-1963)
NFL Draft:	1964 / Round: 8 / Pick: 110
Career history
Cleveland Browns (1964–1973) Chicago Fire (1974)
Career highlights and awards
NFL champion (1964) 4× First-team All-Pro (1966–1968, 1971) Second-team All-Pro (1969) 6× Pro Bowl (1966–1971) 2× NFL rushing yards leader (1967, 1968) 3× NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1966–1968) NFL scoring leader (1968) NFL 1960s All-Decade Team Bert Bell Award (1968) Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 7,274 Average: 4.2 Rushing touchdowns: 74 Receptions: 190 Receiving yards: 2,281 Receiving touchdowns: 13 Return yards: 2,774 Return touchdowns: 3
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Leroy Kelly, born on May 20, 1942, is a famous American football player. He played as a running back for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL). Kelly played from 1964 to 1973. He was honored by being added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

Early Life and College Years

Kelly was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 20, 1942. His parents, Orvin and Argie Kelly, moved to Philadelphia from South Carolina. Leroy grew up in the Nicetown area of North Philadelphia.

High School Sports Star

He went to Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia. Kelly played many sports there, including football, basketball, and baseball. In football, he was a quarterback, middle linebacker, kicker, punter, and kick returner. He was the team captain and was named an honorable mention on the Pennsylvania All-Star Team.

Kelly was also a great basketball player. He won awards as a high school baseball player too. In his senior year, he was voted the most outstanding athlete. He even tried out for the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. But he felt his best future was in football.

College Football Journey

Kelly attended Morgan State University in Baltimore from 1960 to 1963. This was a top HBCU. His coach, Earl Banks, moved Kelly from quarterback to running back. He also played as a defensive back.

In 1962, Kelly led Morgan State in rushing, scoring, and punting. His team won the CIAA Championship that year. In 1963, his senior year, Kelly was named the Most Valuable Player in the Orange Blossom Classic. He set several records at Morgan State. These included three touchdowns in one half against Delaware State in 1963. He also had a 95-yard scoring play against Virginia State in 1962. Kelly was added to Morgan State's Hall of Fame in 1977.

NFL Career Highlights

The Cleveland Browns picked Leroy Kelly in the eighth round of the 1964 NFL draft. A scout named Buddy Young told the Browns about Kelly. At first, Kelly was almost cut from the team because of an injury. But Jim Brown, a legendary player, convinced the coach to give Kelly more time to heal. This saved Kelly's spot on the team.

Rookie Season and Championship

As a rookie in 1964, Kelly was a key player on special teams. He returned kicks and helped the Browns win the 1964 NFL championship. He was a backup running back behind Jim Brown and Ernie Green.

Taking Over from a Legend

After Jim Brown retired at the end of the 1965 season, Kelly became the Browns' main running back. Jim Brown himself told the Browns coach not to worry. He said Kelly would be a great replacement. The Browns made the playoffs in 7 of the 10 years Kelly played for them.

From 1966 to 1968, Kelly rushed for over 1,000 yards each year. He led the league in rushing touchdowns. He also led the NFL in rushing yards in 1967 and 1968. In 1966, he led the NFL with 5.5 yards per carry. He had 1,507 total yards and 15 rushing touchdowns that year.

All-Pro and Pro Bowl Honors

From 1966 to 1968, Kelly was named All-NFL and played in the Pro Bowl. He also played in three more Pro Bowls after the 1969, 1970, and 1971 seasons. He was a first-team All-NFL player in 1969 and 1971. In 1968, he scored a touchdown in a team-record 12 games. He also scored two or more touchdowns in a record seven games.

Kelly was also a talented punt and kick returner. He averaged 10.5 yards per punt return and 23.5 yards per kick return in his career. He led the NFL in punt returns in 1965.

Career End and Legacy

Kelly finished his professional career with the Chicago Fire in the World Football League in 1974. When he retired, Kelly had rushed for 7,274 yards. This was the fourth-highest total in NFL history at the time. He also scored 74 rushing touchdowns, which was third all-time. He caught 190 passes for 2,281 yards and 13 touchdowns. Overall, he gained 12,330 all-purpose yards and scored 90 touchdowns. He was named All-NFL five times and played in the Pro Bowl six times.

Coaching After Playing

After his playing career, Kelly became a coach. He coached the offensive backfield for the Philadelphia Bell in the World Football League.

Honors and Achievements

Leroy Kelly has received many important honors for his football career:

• He was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
• He is one of 11 players from the 1964 NFL draft class in the Hall of Fame. This is a record for any single draft class.
• He was selected to the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
• He was added to the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor in 2010.
• He was inducted into Morgan State's Hall of Fame in 1977.
• He is a member of the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.
• He won the Bert Bell Award in 1968, given to the NFL player of the year.
• He was chosen for the NFL's 1960s All-Decade Team.
• He was named All-NFL five times (1966-1969, 1971).
• He played in six Pro Bowls.

Leroy Kelly's autograph.

Family Life

Leroy Kelly's younger brother, Pat Kelly, was also a professional athlete. Pat was an All-Star outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played for five teams over 15 years.

Leroy's only daughter, Felicia Kelly, worked in local news in Cleveland for 20 years. She was a news reporter and hosted an entertainment show. She is now an educator in the Cleveland Public School System.

His eldest son, David Kelly, is a sports anchor and reporter for KMSB-TV in Tucson, Arizona. His second son, Leroy Kelly II, played football in the American Indoor Football League and in Germany. He also had workouts with the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions.

NFL Career Statistics