1. Willie Lanier won postseason honors for eight consecutive years, making the AFL All-Star team in 1968 and 1969 before being selected to the Pro Bowl from 1970 through 1975.
37 Facts About Willie Lanier
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Willie Lanier was selected to both the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams, and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
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Willie Lanier was born on August 21,1945 in Clover, Halifax County, Virginia, the son of Robert Willie Lanier, who was the biggest influence in his son's life.
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Willie Lanier attended high school in Richmond, at the Maggie L Walker High School, named after the first black female bank president in America.
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Willie Lanier was a star football player in high school, graduating in 1963.
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Willie Lanier was offered a full scholarship to Virginia State University, but instead chose to attend Morgan State College because he wanted to escape segregation and he saw more employment opportunity in business administration in the north.
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Willie Lanier believed he would receive a quality education and support.
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Willie Lanier would go on to earn a bachelors degree in business administration from Morgan State in 1967.
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Rather, Willie Lanier was a walk-on who made the team in 1963.
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Willie Lanier was twice selected to the small-college College Football All-America Team.
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Willie Lanier was inducted into the Morgan State Hall of Fame in 1982.
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Willie Lanier is a member of The Pigskin Club of Washington, DC National Intercollegiate All-American Football Players Honor Roll.
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Willie Lanier had been scouted by Frank Barnes for the Chiefs, and was selected in the second round of the 1967 draft with the 50th overall pick, three picks after another linebacker, Jim Lynch of the high profile Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
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Willie Lanier joined Garland Boyette of the AFL's Houston Oilers as the first black middle linebackers in professional American football history.
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Willie Lanier was stellar in the Super Bowl, recording 8 tackles and an interception.
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Willie Lanier was traded in April 1978 to the Baltimore Colts, but announced his retirement as an active player three months later on July 20,1978.
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Willie Lanier had 27 career interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, and 18 fumble recoveries.
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Willie Lanier later was nicknamed "Honey Bear" because of his bear-hug tackling style.
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Willie Lanier missed the last four games of his rookie year with an injury.
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Willie Lanier was All-Pro, All-AFL or All-AFC from 1968 through 1975.
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Willie Lanier was chosen for the last two AFL All-Star games at the end of the 1968 and 1969 seasons.
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Willie Lanier played in the first six AFC-NFC Pro Bowl games after the merger of the AFL and NFL, and was MVP in the 1971 game.
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Willie Lanier was named AFC Player of the Year in 1971.
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Willie Lanier was selected to the Chiefs' Hall of Honor in 1985.
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Willie Lanier was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986, with his enshrinement speech given by hall of fame Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt.
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Willie Lanier was selected to both the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994 and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019.
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Willie Lanier was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.
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Willie Lanier was ranked as the 80th greatest player of all time by The Athletic in its 2021 list.
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Willie Lanier received All-Pro mention every year, appearing in all-star games from 1968 to 1975.
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In 1975, Willie Lanier had been in the Executive Program at the University of Virginia.
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Willie Lanier eventually returned to Richmond, becoming a business executive.
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Willie Lanier became a stockbroker, at First Union Securities, where he served as vice-chairman.
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Willie Lanier was a president of First Wheat Securities in Richmond.
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Willie Lanier directs the Willie Lanier Group LLC investment firm, and is active in charitable causes.
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In 2006, Willie Lanier was interviewed for the NFL Network documentary America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions chronicling the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs season.
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In 1974, Willie Lanier starred in The Black Six as Tommy Bunka.
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Willie Lanier teamed with other 1970s players including Joe Green, Carl Eller, Gene Washington, and Mercury Morris.