Kings Of Yesterday: Remembering Joe Delaney
King
Joe Alton Delaney was the third of eight children born to Woodrow and Eunice Delaney – Oct. 30, 1958.
From an early age, Delaney knew he had a talent for football, but was met with resistance and opposition from his father – who discouraged Joe from pursuing his dream.
Humble Beginnings
Delaney attended Haughton High School in Bossier Parish, located in northwestern Louisiana.
As a junior, Delaney secured a starting job at wide receiver for the Haughton football team. His talent immediately caught the eye of several Division I universities, including Grambling State, Texas, Oklahoma and LSU.
Offers started pouring in, but Delaney chose to continue his football career at Northwestern State University, a Division I-AA school, in 1977.
Determined to reach the next level, Delaney made the switch to running back in college – a move that would define the rest of his career.
The switch proved beneficial for Delaney, who became a force to be reckoned with out of the backfield.
In 1978, he set the NCAA record for most rushing yards in the second half of a game, with 263. As a junior in 1979, Delaney was named an All-American for the first time – receiving the honor again, as a senior, in 1980.
At Northwestern State, Delaney met his future wife, Carolyn, with whom he had two children.
He played his final game for the Demons on November 22, 1980 – and at halftime, the university retired his No. 44 jersey.
Realizing the Dream
Joe Delaney’s success at the collegiate level did not go unnoticed.
The Kansas City Chiefs had their eye on the small-school standout and with the 41st pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, the team took Delaney; just three picks after Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary and seven picks before Hall of Fame defensive tackle Howie Long.
Delaney was a star from the go.
In his rookie season, he made the Pro Bowl and carried his team to a 9-7 record – its first winning season since 1973.
In a game against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 18, 1981, Delaney rushed for a 75-yard touchdown. The play was called back for an offsides penalty.
Just two plays later, Delaney took the ball 82 yards to the house, in what would be the longest carry of the 1981 season and longest run of his professional career.
He set team records for most rushing yards in a season (1,121), most rushing yards in a game (196), most consecutive 100-yard games (three) and most 100-yard games in a season (five).
To put Delaney’s dominance in perspective, Hall of Fame defensive end Elvin Bethea of the Houston Oilers compared him to some of the greatest running backs in NFL history, after Delaney torched Houston for his record-setting 196-yard performance.
“I’ve played against the best – O.J. Simpson, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton and (Delaney) ranks right up there with them … He is great with a capital G.” — Elvin Bethea
Expectations for Delaney were sky-high as he entered his second year as a pro.
But surgery for a detached retina and a strike-shortened 1982 season prevented him from building on his strong rookie campaign, tallying 95 carries for just 380 yards with no touchdowns.
Despite a dismal 3-6 record, the Chiefs capped off their season with a 37-13 victory over the New York Jets; with a modest 41-yard performance by Delaney.
Sophomore slump aside, the future was still very bright for the young and hungry halfback, but at the age of 24 – he had just played his final game.
Critter’s Creek Catastrophe
On June 29, 1983, Delaney and some friends went to Critter’s Creek in Monroe, Louisiana.
Recent construction at the amusement center had left a two-acre-long water hole, which was meant to add to the scenery and aesthetic of the area. It was deemed unsafe for swimming, but people often jumped in the water anyway.
Delaney noticed some children playing in the water and discouraged them from swimming out too far.
Despite his warning, later that afternoon, the children waded out too deep and began struggling to stay afloat. Delaney noticed the commotion and, without delay, rushed to the water hole.
A child nearby asked Delaney if he could swim, to which Delaney responded:
“I can’t swim good, but I’ve got to save those kids. If I don’t come up – get somebody.”
Two of the boys made it out of the water, one succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, but the third boy and Delaney never came back up.
Their bodies were later recovered by police.
Aftermath
More than 3,000 people packed into the Haughton High School gymnasium for Delaney’s memorial service on July 4, 1983.
On July 15, Ronald Reagan posthumously awarded Delaney the Presidential Citizens Medal for his bravery and sacrifice.
“He made the ultimate sacrifice by placing the lives of three children above regard for his own safety. By the supreme example of courage and compassion, this brilliantly gifted young man left a spiritual legacy for his fellow Americans.” — Ronald Reagan
In 1984, the NCAA honored Delaney with the NCAA Award of Valor, meant to recognize people involved with intercollegiate athletics who show “courageous action or noteworthy bravery.”
The Kansas City Chiefs unofficially retired Delaney’s No. 37 – as no player has donned the number since his death. In 2004, Delaney was enshrined in the team’s Hall of Fame and is a part of the Chiefs’ ring of honor at Arrowhead Stadium.
Anniversary
On the 37th anniversary of No. 37’s ultimate sacrifice, as Confederate and racist statues and monuments are rightly toppled by protestors throughout the country, a statue has gone up in Chennault Park in Monroe, Louisiana, to honor a true hero.
From the business page of Marvin Dearman, the former diver who organized this:https://t.co/N4GrUpjCez pic.twitter.com/bDafioxuNv
— Tikkanen (@Tikkanen1010) June 28, 2020
The defending Super Bowl champion’s logo serves as the shape for the monument, with Delaney’s image featured prominently on both sides.
Hero and Legacy
Greatness cannot be determined on a field. It goes beyond one’s skills, one’s talents, one’s accolades or honors – it goes beyond sport.
We do not get to choose to be heroes, it is not something we can train for. Sometimes moments present themselves, and it is your response to those moments that define you.
Joe Delaney did not wake up 37 years ago thinking he was going to be a hero or lose his life; but his selfless actions that day left a legacy no number of yards, touchdowns, or rings will ever surpass.
