Hise Austin

Austin was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the eighth round (202nd overall) of the 1973 NFL draft.^[13] He was reported to have been able to run the 40-yard dash in 4.4-seconds, which the Wisconsin State Journal described as "the kind of statistic that makes pro scouts' mouths water".^[14] He also ran the 100-yard dash in 9.3-seconds.^[6] Standing at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and weighing 187 pounds (85 kg), Austin made the team for the 1973 season and appeared in nine games as a backup, while the Packers compiled a record of 5–7–2.^[15] On July 21, 1974, he signed a future contract with the Portland Storm of the World Football League (WFL), agreeing to join the team in 1975 while staying with the Packers in 1974.^[6][13] He signed with the Storm over frustration of not seeing significant playing time with the Packers, saying that, "I was unhappy. I was young and wanted to play. I was in a situation where they had Willie Buchanon and Ken Ellis and both are young ... If I had to sit around and wait for them to get old, I would have been old and still waiting because I am only a year behind them in age. So I decided the best thing for me to do was leave and try to go someplace else. The World Football League came up and I signed ... with them".^[16]

Austin was later released by the Packers at the start of the 1974 season, leading to him to join the Storm for the rest of the year.^[17] He appeared in nine games for the Storm, posting one interception while returning three kickoffs for 82 yards, as the team compiled a record of 7–12–1.^[18] He did not return to the team for the 1975 season.^[13] He told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he did not return due to the issues the league had in paying its players, saying that he did not receive any money for the entire 1974 WFL season.^[16] He said he only received half of a promised bonus for signing with the team, "Supposedly I was supposed to get the other half when I went back in '75. But I decided not to go back. So I just played all of last year for nothing".^[16] Nevertheless, Austin said he had no regrets joining the league: "No. I'm not bitter. It was a new league and a new experience and I was able to play and start. And that was a privilege".^[16]

Austin returned to the NFL and signed with the Dallas Cowboys on March 4, 1975.^[19] Gil Brandt, who led the team's scouting department, said that, "In our evaluation, he was the best defensive back in the WFL".^[19] He was limited by a pinched nerve in his hip and was waived by the Cowboys before the regular season.^[20] Afterwards, he began working in Houston as a substitute teacher.^[20] On December 3, 1975, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after several of the team's cornerbacks were injured.^[13][20] Austin saw significant playing time in the Chiefs' last three games of the 1975 season, posting one fumble recovery.^[13][21] He was initially re-signed for 1976 but was then released before the regular season.^[21][22] Austin later was briefly a member of the San Francisco 49ers during the 1977 offseason to conclude his career.^[13] He finished with 12 NFL games played.^[13]

After his playing career, Austin worked at Wheatley High School in Houston, where he led the history department and served as assistant football coach under Ken Houston.^[23][24] He also was a pastor.^[25] Austin died on June 4, 2019, at the age of 68.^[25]