Wesley Walker facts for kids
Walker with the New York Jets in 1981
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| No. 85 | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | May 26, 1955 San Bernardino, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 179 lb (81 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Carson (CA) | ||||||
| College: | California | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1977 / Round: 2 / Pick: 33 | ||||||
| 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 | |||||||
Wesley Darcel Walker (born May 26, 1955) is a former American football player. He was a wide receiver for the New York Jets. He played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1977 to 1989.
Contents
Early Life and College
Wesley Walker grew up in Carson, California. He went to Carson High School. There, he set many records for catching passes and returning kicks.
After high school, he played college football for the California Golden Bears. He was an All-American player. Over four seasons, he caught 86 passes for 2,206 yards. He also scored 22 touchdowns. This means he averaged 25.7 yards for every catch!
Walker was also a talented track and field athlete. He helped his college team finish second in a big relay race in 1975.
Playing in the NFL
Wesley Walker was chosen by the New York Jets in the 1977 NFL Draft. He was picked in the second round. Connie Carberg, the first female scout in NFL history, helped the Jets choose him.
Early Career with the Jets
Walker started his NFL career slowly. In his first three games, he caught only six passes. But on October 2, he caught his first touchdown pass. Later that month, he had a huge game against the Oakland Raiders. He gained 178 yards on just four catches, scoring another touchdown. In his first season, he caught 35 passes for 740 yards and three touchdowns.
His second season, 1978, was amazing. In the first game, he caught two touchdowns and gained 108 yards. He had several other games with over 100 yards. That year, he caught 48 passes for 1,169 yards. He also scored eight touchdowns. He averaged 24.3 yards per catch. Because of his great play, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl. He was the first Jets player since Don Maynard to lead the league in receiving yards. As of 2023, he is still the last Jet to do so.
In 1979, Walker played in only nine games. He caught 23 passes for 569 yards and five touchdowns. He got a knee injury in a game against Houston. This injury kept him out for the rest of the season.
The 1980 season was also tough due to injuries. He sprained his neck before the season started. Then, he missed six games with a deep thigh bruise. He ended up with 18 catches for 376 yards and one touchdown.
Middle Years and Playoff Success
In 1981, Walker played in 13 games. He caught 47 passes for 770 yards and nine touchdowns. He played in his first playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.
The 1982 season was shorter because of a player strike. But Walker still played well in nine games. He caught 39 passes for 620 yards and six touchdowns. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl again. In one game, he scored three touchdowns against Detroit. In the playoffs, he had a fantastic game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He caught eight passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. He continued his great play in the next playoff game against Los Angeles. He caught seven passes for 169 yards and a touchdown.
His best season for catches came in 1983. He caught 61 passes for 868 yards and eight touchdowns.
Later Career and Retirement
Walker continued to play for the Jets. In 1986, he had a career-high 12 touchdowns. Four of these touchdowns came in one game against Miami. The Jets won that game 51-45. The Jets made the playoffs for the fourth and final time with Walker.
In 1987, a player strike affected the season. Walker played in only five games. He separated his shoulder and missed the rest of the year. In 1988, he played in six games due to ankle problems. His last catch was on November 26. The Jets released Walker on April 12, 1990. He retired from football soon after.
Walker was known for his incredible speed. He often averaged over 20 yards per catch. He was also legally blind in his left eye. When he retired, he was one of the Jets' all-time best players. He had 438 catches for 8,306 yards and 71 touchdowns. As of 2024, he is still second in Jets history for catches and touchdowns, behind Don Maynard. On October 8, 2012, he was added to the New York Jets Ring of Honor. This is a special award for important players.
Personal Life
After retiring from football, Wesley Walker became a physical education teacher. He taught at Park View Elementary School in Kings Park, New York. He also sometimes works as a commentator on sports radio shows.
He has two sons and a daughter. His older son, John, was a great lacrosse player at The United States Military Academy at West Point. His younger son, Austin, played lacrosse at Johns Hopkins University. Walker is also the godfather of Alexandra Florant, whose father is the track and field star Carl Florant.
Like many former NFL players, Walker has some health issues from his playing days. He talked about these in an interview in 2016. He graduated from Mercy College. In 2000, he was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame on Long Island.
Images for kids
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Walker with the New York Jets in 1981
