Running Back,
Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 23 (Oct.
30)
College: Northwestern
State (Louisiana)
Height: 5’10” Weight: 184
Prelude:
Delaney
starred in both track and football in college, and rushed for 3047 yards and 31
touchdowns, including 299 yards on 28 carries in a game against Nicholls State.
He was chosen by the Chiefs in the second round of the 1981 NFL draft with the
hope that his speed would make him an ideal situational back.
1981 Season Summary
Appeared in 15
of 16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Rushing
Attempts – 234
[16]
Most
attempts, game - 29 (for 193 yds.) vs. Houston 11/15
Yards – 1121 [10]
Most yards,
game – 193 yards (on 29 carries) vs. Houston 11/15
Average gain
– 4.8 [5, tied with James Brooks, Tony Dorsett, & Curtis Dickey]
TDs – 3
100-yard
rushing games – 5
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 22
Most
receptions, game – 3 (for 104 yds.) vs. Oakland 10/11, (for 31 yds.) vs.
Seattle 11/22
Yards – 246
Most yards,
game - 104 (on 3 catches) vs. Oakland 10/11
Average gain
– 11.2
TDs – 0
Kickoff
Returns
Returns – 1
Yards – 11
Average per
return – 11.0
TDs – 0
Scoring
TDs – 3
Points – 18
Awards & Honors:
AFC Rookie of
the Year: UPI
1st-team
All-AFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl
Chiefs went 9-7
to finish third in the AFC West while leading the AFC in rushing (2633 yards).
Aftermath:
Injuries
marred Delaney’s play in 1982, a strike-shortened season, and he appeared in
eight of the nine games. He ran the ball for 380 yards on 95 carries (4.0 avg.)
and caught just 11 passes. His career was tragically cut short during the
offseason when he drowned while attempting to save three children in a pond.
Chiefs players wore a patch in his honor during the 1983 season and his name
was later added to the team’s Ring of Honor at Arrowhead Stadium.
--
Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie
of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized
organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise
Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league
itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).
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