Jim Tyrer
Encyclopedia
James Efflo Tyrer was an American football
offensive tackle in the American Football League
for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs
. He also played in the National Football League
for the Chiefs and the Washington Redskins
.
at Ohio State University
, where he earned All-America
honors.
's Dallas Texans in 1961. He played 13 years with that franchise (180 consecutive games), which became the Kansas City Chiefs
in 1963, helping set the standard for his position at left offensive tackle. He concluded his career in 1974 with the NFL Washington Redskins
.
Tyrer was named AFL Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1969. He and Ed Budde
at guard made a powerful left side. In Super Bowl IV
, Tyrer and Budde opened holes for Chiefs running backs against the Minnesota Vikings
' opposing defensive linemen Jim Marshall
and Alan Page
, respectively, gaining 151 yards on 42 carries (3.6 yards per attempt) and 122 net passing yards in the team's upset 23-7 victory.
He served as an anchor for the Texans' (who became the Kansas City Chiefs
in 1963) line, and was selected as The Sporting News' AFL All-League
tackle eight consecutive years, from 1962 through 1969. He was an AFL Western Division All-Star
seven times, in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968 and 1969 before also capturing a pair of All-AFC accolades in 1970-71. His efforts in the upstart league would result in his selection to the American Football League All-Time Team
.
area following his retirement, Tyrer turned down an opportunity to serve as a scout for the Chiefs. He then spent the next three years as a salesman before tiring of the constant travel and investing in a tire business. However, a mild winter proved to be financially disastrous for Tyrer, who moved on to work for Amway
.
by turning the gun on himself.
He is survived by his four children - Tina, Brad, Stefanie, and Jason. His four grandchildren are Braden, Truman, Austin, and Luke.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive tackle in the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. He also played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Chiefs and the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
College career
Tyrer played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, where he earned All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors.
Professional career
Tyrer signed with the American Football LeagueAmerican Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's Dallas Texans in 1961. He played 13 years with that franchise (180 consecutive games), which became the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in 1963, helping set the standard for his position at left offensive tackle. He concluded his career in 1974 with the NFL Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
Tyrer was named AFL Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1969. He and Ed Budde
Ed Budde
Edward Leon Budde , a product of Denby High School in Detroit, Michigan and later Michigan State University, was the number one draft pick of the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs in 1963....
at guard made a powerful left side. In Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV was the fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, and the second one to officially bear the name "Super Bowl"...
, Tyrer and Budde opened holes for Chiefs running backs against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
' opposing defensive linemen Jim Marshall
Jim Marshall
Jim Marshall may refer to:*Jim Marshall , Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives*Jim E...
and Alan Page
Alan Page
Alan Cedric Page is a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1963, received his B.A. in political science from the University of Notre Dame in 1967, and received his J.D. from the University of...
, respectively, gaining 151 yards on 42 carries (3.6 yards per attempt) and 122 net passing yards in the team's upset 23-7 victory.
He served as an anchor for the Texans' (who became the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in 1963) line, and was selected as The Sporting News' AFL All-League
American Football League All-League Teams
The Sporting News published American Football League All-League Teams for each season played by the American Football League, 1960 through 1969...
tackle eight consecutive years, from 1962 through 1969. He was an AFL Western Division All-Star
American Football League All-Star games
-All-League Teams:The Sporting News published American Football League All-League Teams for each season played by the American Football League, 1960 through 1969...
seven times, in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968 and 1969 before also capturing a pair of All-AFC accolades in 1970-71. His efforts in the upstart league would result in his selection to the American Football League All-Time Team
American Football League All-Time Team
The American Football League All- Time Team was selected on January 14, 1970. The first and second teams would be determined by a panel of members of the AFL's Hall of Fame Board of Selectors: Since the First team included two halfbacks, rather than a halfback and a fullback, Cookie Gilchrist, a...
.
After football
Remaining in the Kansas CityKansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
area following his retirement, Tyrer turned down an opportunity to serve as a scout for the Chiefs. He then spent the next three years as a salesman before tiring of the constant travel and investing in a tire business. However, a mild winter proved to be financially disastrous for Tyrer, who moved on to work for Amway
Amway
Amway is a direct selling company and manufacturer that uses network marketing to sell a variety of products, primarily in the health, beauty, and home care markets. Amway was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos...
.
Death
This series of business misfortunes culminated on September 15, 1980 when Tyrer, the father of four, shot his wife and then committed suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by turning the gun on himself.
He is survived by his four children - Tina, Brad, Stefanie, and Jason. His four grandchildren are Braden, Truman, Austin, and Luke.