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.
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]
References
- ^ "Former UH Great Wilson Whitley To Be Inducted Into The College Football Hall of Fame". University of Houston.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals History, 1981". Cincinnati Bengals.
- ^ "Wilson Whitley, Football Player, 37". The New York Times.
- ^ "'70s UH standout Whitley to enter College Hall of Fame". Houston Chronicle.
External links
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