Walter Leon Burton was an American professional football player who played 14 games for the New York Titans in one season of the American Football League in 1960.
17 Facts About Leon Burton
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Leon Burton earlier played college football at Arizona State University.
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Leon Burton attended Flint Northern High School in his hometown, where he was a member of the football and track and field teams.
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Leon Burton then studied at Arizona State University, where he played for the Sun Devils from 1955 to 1958.
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Leon Burton established the school's freshman record with 694 rushing yards in 1955.
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Leon Burton had the fourth-most touchdowns and points in the NCAA in the following season.
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Leon Burton received first team All-Border Conference honors in 1957 and 1958.
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Leon Burton finished his college career ranked first all-time in regular-season rushing touchdowns, and second in rushing yards.
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Leon Burton was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the eighth round of the 1958 NFL draft.
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Leon Burton was released by the 49ers on account of his size and subsequently joined the Toronto Argonauts for one season.
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Leon Burton later became the first Titans player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in a single season.
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Leon Burton led the AFL in kick returns, kick return yards, and kick and punt returns, while finishing second in kick and punt return yards, fifth in punt returns, and ninth in punt return yards.
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Leon Burton went on to play for the Grand Rapids Blazers of the United Football League.
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Leon Burton elected to stay in the town after the league folded and worked for many years with Meijer until retiring in 2000.
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Leon Burton was inducted into his alma mater's Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.
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Leon Burton was later recognized in ASU's Ring of Honor in October 2013.
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Leon Burton died in his sleep on October 7,2022, in Las Vegas.