Nowadays it seems every time an NFL player is mentioned in the news it is for something terrible. Whether it is for domestic violence, drugs, or drinking and driving, it always seems like another NFL player is in trouble. This story, however, is not about them. It is about a player who gave his life trying to save someone else’s. It’s about a player who had a promising NFL career ahead of him, but risked his life to save someone else’s and ultimately paid the price. That player is Kansas City Chief’s running back Joe Delaney.
Joe Delaney was born October 30, 1958 in a small town in Texas. He went to college at Northwestern State in the late 70’s. Delaney holds a NCAA record with 263 yards rushing in the second half of a game versus Nicholls State University. He rushed for 299 yards total during that game in 1978. He had his number, 44, retired by Northwestern State at halftime of his final game in college. He would be drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round as the 41st pick overall.
In 1981, his first year with the Kansas City Chiefs he was voted the AFC Rookie of the Year. That season he rushed for 1,121 on 234 attempts averaging 4.8 yards a carry. He scored the longest rushing play in the 1981 season with an 82 yard touchdown run against the Denver Broncos. Delaney had a record setting game against the Houston Oilers that year where he would run for 196 yards. After the game Oiler’s Defensive End stated, “I’ve played against the best-O.J. Simpson, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton and Delaney ranks right up there with them…” That’s a pretty good quote from a future Hall of Famer.
He did not have a great 1982 season due to a strike by the NFL players as well as an eye injury. That would be his final season playing in the NFL. On June 29th 1983 Delaney decided to go to an amusement park in Monroe, Louisiana called Critter’s Creek. That day, three children decided to go wading in a pond at the amusement park. Delaney heard the cries for help from the children and dove in the water to save them. Delaney never learned how to swim but he still dove in any way to save the children. He didn’t know the children at all, but he still risked his life to save these kids. In the end, Delaney gave his life and would only be able to save one of the children on the tragic day but it is still the fact that he risked everything to try and save them and he would be successful at saving one of them which is amazing.
In today’s modern world where it seems like more and more people only think of themselves it would great to see another Joe Delaney. He had a promising NFL career ahead of him but he threw it all away because children were drowning and needed saving. Joe Delaney is a hero and should be remembered as such. The Chiefs never officially retired his number 37 but he was the last Chief to wear it. On his gravestone is the bible verse “Greater Love has no man than to lay down his life for another”. So on June 29th remember Joe and remember what he did because he is an NFL player who should truly be memorialized. You can be like Mike all you want, but also try to be like Joe Delaney.
