Wilson Whitley
American football player (1955–1992)
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Wilson Carl Whitley Jr. (May 28, 1955 – October 27, 1992) was an American professional football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Houston Cougars, where he was named a consensus All-American under defensive coordinator Don Todd. He led the Cougars to the Southwest Conference championship in during Houston's first season as a conference member and won the 1976 Lombardi Award as the nation's top lineman. Former President Gerald Ford presented him the award.[1] He was later named to the 1970s Southwest Conference All-Decade Team.
Brenham, Texas, U.S.
Marietta, Georgia, U.S.
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| Position | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | April 28, 1955 Brenham, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | October 27, 1992 (aged 37) Marietta, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Brenham (TX) | ||||||||
| College | Houston (1973–1976) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1977: 1st round, 8th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Professional career
Whitley was drafted in the first round of the 1977 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and started alongside another Lombardi Award winner, Ross Browner, for 6 seasons.[2]
Death
Whitley died at the age of 37, due to a heart attack.[3]
Honors
He is a 1998 inductee into University of Houston's Hall of Honor and was a perennial candidate for the College Football Hall of Fame until his selection in 2007.[4]
