Willie Lanier
Encyclopedia
Willie Edward Lanier is a former American football
middle-linebacker
who played for the Kansas City Chiefs
from 1967 through 1977. He won postseason honors for eight consecutive years, making the American Football League All-Star team
in 1968 and 1969 before being selected to the Pro Bowl
from 1970 through 1975. He was inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1986.
and attended Maggie L. Walker High School in Richmond, Virginia
.
at Morgan State University
under head coach Earl Banks
where he was twice selected to the small-college College Football All-America Team
and was also chosen MVP of the Tangerine Bowl
.
Willie Lanier is a member of The Pigskin Club Of Washington, D.C.
National Intercollegiate All-American Football Players Honor Roll.
to Vince Lombardi
's Green Bay Packers
by a 35-10 score, forcing head coach
Hank Stram
to look for defensive players in the upcoming draft. Stram picked Lanier in the second round, after the team had selected another linebacker, Jim Lynch of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
.
Lynch had been chosen to play in the annual College All-Star game
, forcing him to miss the first two weeks of Chiefs ' practice. By the time Lynch made it to camp, Lanier had already established himself as the team's middle linebacker, and the American Football League
had another first, the first black middle linebacker in pro football history. In the midst of a solid first season, Lanier suffered an injury and missed the last four games of the year
The following year, Lanier collected four interceptions
, then matched that total in 1969 as he helped the Chiefs capture Super Bowl IV
with a 23-7 upset of the Minnesota Vikings
. Lanier was stellar in the Super Bowl, recording 7 tackles
and an interception. Lanier later commented on the increased motivation that Chiefs players felt because of wearing an AFL patch
to honor the league's final year.
There were numerous great moments throughout his career, but none exemplifies his heart and desire as much as the Chiefs' goal line stand against the New York Jets
in the 1969 divisional playoff game. Leading 6-3 in the fourth quarter, New York had a first-and-goal at the Chiefs' one-yard line after a pass interference
call on Kansas City. It was then that Lanier made an emotional appeal to the rest of the Chiefs defense. "They're not going to score!" Lanier yelled at this teammates. "They're not going to score!" The Chiefs shut down the Jets on three straight plays and held them to a field goal
. When Kansas City scored a touchdown
on its next possession, the game was over. The first important step to the Super Bowl was complete.
The Chiefs would reach the NFL playoffs
only one more time during Lanier's career, in 1971, winning the AFC Western Division title
. On Christmas Day, in the final contest at Municipal Stadium
, the Chiefs' season came to an end against the Miami Dolphins
in a double overtime
classic. The contest was the longest game in NFL history, clocking in at more than 82 minutes.
In 1972, the Chiefs moved to Arrowhead Stadium
, but the change would not serve the team well, since by 1974, the team's talent had been depleted by age and injuries. After the conclusion of that season, Stram was fired after 15 years at the helm.
The linebacking trio of Lanier, Lynch and fellow Hall of Famer Bobby Bell
is recognized as one of the most talented in professional football history, lasting until the arrival of new head coach Paul Wiggin
in 1975.
Lanier was traded in April 1978 to the Baltimore Colts
, but retired just three months later as training camp was set to get under way.
But Lanier's uncontrolled tackling resulted in Chiefs' equipment manager Bobby Yarborough outfitting Lanier's helmet
with extra padding. The padding was not on the inside of the helmet to protect Lanier but rather, as some photos of him in uniform show, on the outside of the helmet to protect the player he was tackling.
While renowned for his hitting ability, Lanier was also fast, agile and disciplined, finishing his career with 27 interceptions and 15 fumble
recoveries.
(AFL ALL-Star
or All-AFC) mention every year, appearing in all-star games from 1968 to 1975 (his first two in the AFL and his last six in the AFC). In 1986 he achieved Pro Football Hall of Fame
status.
Lanier returned to school, taking graduate courses at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He then returned to Virginia as a stockbroker, at First Union Securities, where he served as vice-chairman. He is currently chairman and CEO of TDS Us.
Willie Lanier served as a board member of TDS Automotive, the minority-owned branch of TDS Logistics.
In 2006, Lanier was interviewed for the NFL Network
documentary America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions
chronicling the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs season
.
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...
middle-linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who played for 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...
from 1967 through 1977. He won postseason honors for eight consecutive years, making the American Football League All-Star team
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...
in 1968 and 1969 before being selected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
from 1970 through 1975. He was inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1986.
Early life
Lanier was born in CloverClover, Virginia
Clover is a census-designated place in Halifax County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 438. Clover was an incorporated town from 1895 until 1998, when it reverted to unincorporated status.Clover is located at ....
and attended Maggie L. Walker High School in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
College career
Lanier 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 Morgan State University
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
under head coach Earl Banks
Earl Banks
-External links:* *...
where he was twice selected to the small-college College Football All-America Team
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
and was also chosen MVP of the Tangerine Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
.
Willie Lanier is a member of The Pigskin Club Of Washington, D.C.
The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C.
The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., Inc. was founded in 1938 with the goals of "improving relationship between persons interested in the game of football; that there may be given encouragement for good, clean sport; that there may be a more perfect understanding among such persons; and, that...
National Intercollegiate All-American Football Players Honor Roll.
Professional career
On January 15, 1967, the Chiefs lost Super Bowl ISuper Bowl I
The First AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later known as Super Bowl I and referred to in some contemporary reports as the Supergame, was played on January 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.The National Football League ...
to Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
's Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
by a 35-10 score, forcing head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Hank Stram
Hank Stram
Henry Louis "Hank" Stram was an American football coach. He is best known for his 15-year tenure with the American Football League's Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs and the Chiefs of the NFL. Stram won three AFL Championships and Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs...
to look for defensive players in the upcoming draft. Stram picked Lanier in the second round, after the team had selected another linebacker, Jim Lynch of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
.
Lynch had been chosen to play in the annual College All-Star game
College All-Star Game
The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played annually from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year...
, forcing him to miss the first two weeks of Chiefs ' practice. By the time Lynch made it to camp, Lanier had already established himself as the team's middle linebacker, and 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...
had another first, the first black middle linebacker in pro football history. In the midst of a solid first season, Lanier suffered an injury and missed the last four games of the year
The following year, Lanier collected four interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
, then matched that total in 1969 as he helped the Chiefs capture 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"...
with a 23-7 upset of 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...
. Lanier was stellar in the Super Bowl, recording 7 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
and an interception. Lanier later commented on the increased motivation that Chiefs players felt because of wearing an AFL patch
Ten-year AFL patch
The Ten-Year AFL Patch is a shoulder patch adapted for use on American Football League team uniforms.-History:During the entire 1969 professional football season, all NFL players wore a shoulder patch on their uniforms, reading "50 NFL", marking the 50 years which had passed since the league's...
to honor the league's final year.
There were numerous great moments throughout his career, but none exemplifies his heart and desire as much as the Chiefs' goal line stand against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1969 divisional playoff game. Leading 6-3 in the fourth quarter, New York had a first-and-goal at the Chiefs' one-yard line after a pass interference
Pass interference
In American and Canadian gridiron football, pass interference is a penalty that occurs when a player interferes with an eligible receiver's ability to make a fair attempt to catch a forward pass. Pass interference may include tripping, pushing, pulling, or cutting in front of the receiver or...
call on Kansas City. It was then that Lanier made an emotional appeal to the rest of the Chiefs defense. "They're not going to score!" Lanier yelled at this teammates. "They're not going to score!" The Chiefs shut down the Jets on three straight plays and held them to a field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
. When Kansas City scored a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
on its next possession, the game was over. The first important step to the Super Bowl was complete.
The Chiefs would reach the NFL playoffs
NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
only one more time during Lanier's career, in 1971, winning the AFC Western Division title
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
. On Christmas Day, in the final contest at Municipal Stadium
Municipal Stadium (Kansas City)
Kansas City Municipal Stadium was a baseball and football stadium that formerly stood in Kansas City, Missouri. It hosted the minor league Kansas City Blues of the American Association from 1923 to 1954 and the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues during the same period...
, the Chiefs' season came to an end against the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in a double overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
classic. The contest was the longest game in NFL history, clocking in at more than 82 minutes.
In 1972, the Chiefs moved to Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
, but the change would not serve the team well, since by 1974, the team's talent had been depleted by age and injuries. After the conclusion of that season, Stram was fired after 15 years at the helm.
The linebacking trio of Lanier, Lynch and fellow Hall of Famer Bobby Bell
Bobby Bell
Bobby Lee Bell, Sr is a former professional American football linebacker/defensive end. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, and was a member of the Chiefs' team that won Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings.- High school career :He excelled in...
is recognized as one of the most talented in professional football history, lasting until the arrival of new head coach Paul Wiggin
Paul Wiggin
Paul Wiggin is a former football player and coach who currently serves as the senior consultant for pro personnel with the Minnesota Vikings....
in 1975.
Lanier was traded in April 1978 to the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, but retired just three months later as training camp was set to get under way.
"Contact"
Lanier was known as Contact, a name coined by Chiefs' teammate Jerry Mays in 1967. As Lanier remembered: "Since I unfortunately followed the style of tackling that we were taught at that time - that was to use your head first of hitting players in the middle of their body. It was done in a rather aggressive manner".But Lanier's uncontrolled tackling resulted in Chiefs' equipment manager Bobby Yarborough outfitting Lanier's helmet
Football helmet
A football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...
with extra padding. The padding was not on the inside of the helmet to protect Lanier but rather, as some photos of him in uniform show, on the outside of the helmet to protect the player he was tackling.
While renowned for his hitting ability, Lanier was also fast, agile and disciplined, finishing his career with 27 interceptions and 15 fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recoveries.
| Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| Season | Games | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | FumRec | Yds | TotScore | ||||
| 1967 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 1968 | 14 | 4 | 120 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||||
| 1969 | 14 | 4 | 70 | 17.5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 1970 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 1971 | 14 | 2 | 38 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 1972 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 1973 | 14 | 3 | 47 | 15.7 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 0 | ||||
| 1974 | 14 | 2 | 28 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||||
| 1975 | 14 | 5 | 105 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||
| 1976 | 14 | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 1977 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 149 | 27 | 440 | 16.3 | 2 | 18 | 21 | 14 |
| Punt Return | Kick Returns | |||||||||
| Season | PR | Yds | Avg | TD | KR | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 1967 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 |
Honors
Willie Lanier received All-ProAmerican 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...
(AFL 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...
or All-AFC) mention every year, appearing in all-star games from 1968 to 1975 (his first two in the AFL and his last six in the AFC). In 1986 he achieved Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
status.
- 1968. Elected to AFL All-Star GameAmerican 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...
. - 1969. Elected to AFL All-Star GameAmerican 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...
. - 1970. Elected to NFL 's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Game.
- 1971. Elected to NFL 's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Game. Defensive MVP of the league (co-winner).
- 1972. Elected to NFL 's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Game (MVP-defense of the match). NFL 's Walter Payton Man of the Year AwardWalter Payton Man of the Year AwardThe Walter Payton Man of the Year award is given annually by the National Football League honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called simply the NFL Man of the Year Award...
(charitable work as player-citizen). - 1973. Elected to NFL 's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Game.
- 1974. Elected to NFL 's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Game.
- 1975. Elected to NFL 's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Game.
- 1985. Chiefs ' Hall of Fame.
- 1986. Second Chiefs ' player inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame by the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe 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 class of this year, at Canton, OhioCanton, OhioCanton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Also in 1986, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of FameVirginia Sports Hall of FameThe Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a sports hall of fame located in Portsmouth, Virginia. Founded in 1972, it moved to its current location in 2005...
. - 1994. NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time TeamNFL 75th Anniversary All-Time TeamThe National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team was chosen by a selection committee of media and league personnel in 1994. Years served were in the NFL, unless otherwise stated.-Offense:Source:-Defense:Source:-Special teams:Source:...
. - In 1999, he was ranked number 42 on The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, the highest-ranking Chief.
After the NFL
After Lanier's retirement, the Chiefs retired both Lanier's and Bell's numbers.Lanier returned to school, taking graduate courses at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He then returned to Virginia as a stockbroker, at First Union Securities, where he served as vice-chairman. He is currently chairman and CEO of TDS Us.
Willie Lanier served as a board member of TDS Automotive, the minority-owned branch of TDS Logistics.
In 2006, Lanier was interviewed for the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
documentary America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions
America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions
America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions is an annual documentary series created by NFL Films . Its 45 installments profile the first 45 winning teams of the National Football League's annual Super Bowl championship game; each episode chronicles an individual team.A spin-off debuted on September...
chronicling the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs season
1969 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1969 Kansas City Chiefs season resulted in a 11–3 record and a 23–7 victory in Super Bowl IV over the NFL’s heavily-favored Minnesota Vikings. The team beat their rivals, the Oakland Raiders in the final AFL Championship Game, claiming their third AFL Championship in franchise history...
.
Filmography
- 1974. The Black SixThe Black SixThe Black Six is a combination of blaxploitation and outlaw biker film released in 1974. The movie was written by George Theakos and directed by Matt Cimber. It starred several National Football League stars in the title roles. The plot had some similarities to The Magnificent Seven and Easy...
. As Tommy Bunka. Directed by Matt CimberMatt CimberMatt Cimber is an Italian-American film producer, director and writer. He was the last husband of Jayne Mansfield, who was the mother of his son, Antonio Raphael . Cimber directed her on stage and in one movie, Single Room Furnished...
(Matteo Ottaviano). Drama about racism in a southern town, with six black bikers (The Black Six) avenging the death of a friend. Lanier teamed with other greatest stars of the 1970s (Joe GreeneJoe Greene (American football)Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League...
, Carl EllerCarl EllerCarl Eller is a former professional American football player in the National Football League who played from 1964 through 1979. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and attended the University of Minnesota...
, Gene Washington, Mercury MorrisMercury MorrisEugene Edward "Mercury" Morris , is a former American football player, nicknamed early on for his mercurial quickness when running with the ball. Morris was a running back and kick returner for 9 years, playing mostly for the Miami Dolphins...
). - 2000. Super Bowl XXXIV (TV). As coin-tosserCoin flippingCoin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
.
External links
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: Member - Willie Lanier
- Morgan State Bears: Willie Lanier bio
- Career Stats
- Sporting News
- Kansas City Chiefs
- All time greats