Willie Burden was an American professional football player with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, who subsequently became an academic and sports administrator.
22 Facts About Willie Burden
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Willie Burden was made a member of the Calgary Stampeder's Wall of Fame in 1992, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
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In 2006, Burden was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.
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Willie Burden set the school's single-game record with 198 rushing yards against Kent State University.
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Willie Burden became the first player in school history to break the 1,000 yard rushing mark in a single-season.
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Willie Burden received All-ACC and Atlantic Coast Conference Football Player of the Year honors.
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Willie Burden rushed for 2,529 yards, 7th best in Wolfpack history.
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Willie Burden was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 6th round of the 1974 NFL season.
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Willie Burden was selected by the Portland Storm in the 17th round of the 1974 WFL Draft.
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Willie Burden thrilled fans in his first season, rushing for 541 yards on 94 carries, but it was in his second season that he broke team and league records.
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Willie Burden set a new CFL single-season rushing record, running 332 times for 1,896 yards.
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Willie Burden set a CFL record with 2,127 yards from scrimmage and led the league with 2,387 all-purpose yards and 15 total touchdowns.
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Willie Burden was rewarded with the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award and All Canadian All Star honours in 1975.
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In 1978, James Sykes was named the starter at running back for the Stampeders, while Willie Burden was used more as a blocking fullback and as a receiver out of the backfield.
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Willie Burden recorded 1,242 carries, a 5.0 rushing average, 32 rushing touchdowns, 299 receptions for 2,669 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns.
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Willie Burden was added to their Wall of Fame in 1992, was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2001 and was chosen as one of the league's 50 greatest stars.
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Willie Burden received his master's degree in sports administration from Ohio University while working as an assistant football coach and instructor in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation.
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In 1988, Willie Burden returned to Ohio University to serve as Assistant Athletic Director.
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Willie Burden's research has been published in several academic journals.
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On September 2,2015, it was reported in the Calgary Herald that Willie Burden had been hospitalized in Atlanta for 209 days with a heart condition, awaiting a transplant.
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Willie Burden died in Atlanta on December 4,2015, at the age of 64.
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Willie Burden had a daughter, Courtney Bledsoe, who resides in North Carolina.