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Jim Tyrer

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Jim Tyrer
No. 77, 71
Position:Offensive tackle
Personal information
Born:(1939-02-25)February 25, 1939
Newark, Ohio, U.S.
Died:September 15, 1980(1980-09-15) (aged 41)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Height:6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:280 lb (127 kg)
Career information
High school:Newark
College:Ohio State
NFL draft:1961 / round: 14 / pick: 188
AFL draft:1961 / round: 3 / pick: 22
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career AFL/NFL statistics
Games played:194
Games started:179
Fumble recoveries:2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

James Efflo Tyrer (February 25, 1939 – September 15, 1980) was an American professional football offensive tackle widely regarded as one of the most dominant players of his era.[1][2][3] He played 14 years of professional football (1961 - 1974) after an All-American college career for Ohio State University, [4][5] competing in the American Football League (AFL) for the Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs and later in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chiefs and the Washington Redskins. Standing 6'6" tall and weighing as much as 322 pounds during his career, Tyrer was known for his size, quick footwork, and a notably large head, which he used to impose his will on opponents.[6][7][8][9]He played in a period when linemen were prohibited from using their hands for blocking, and defensive players were permitted to use the "head slap" technique—a practice later outlawed due to its brutality. [10][11] He was a Chiefs team captain four years (1967 - 1971) including the team's Super Bowl IV championship season. [12]

Despite the physicality of the era and the demands of his position, Tyrer started 180 consecutive games, a then-record for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was a cornerstone of the team's success, with owner Lamar Hunt crediting him as instrumental in establishing Kansas City as a major sports town. Tyrer is often referred to as "the greatest player not in the Hall of Fame," reflecting his lasting impact on the sport. He was named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility but did not advance in voting again until 2024, when Beneath the Shadow filmmaker Kevin Patrick Allen uncovered evidence indicating Tyrer likely suffered from brain trauma.[13]

In 1980, Tyrer murdered his wife, Martha, and then died by suicide. [14]

College career

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Born and raised in Newark, Ohio, Tyrer played college football at nearby Ohio State University under head coach Woody Hayes, and earned All-America honors.

Professional career

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Tyrer signed with the American Football League's Dallas Texans in 1961. He played 13 years with that franchise (180 consecutive games), which became the Kansas City Chiefs in 1963, helping set the standard for his position at left offensive tackle. His 14th and final season was with the Washington Redskins under head coach George Allen, who preferred veteran players. Tyrer was traded from the Chiefs in late August 1974 for three draft picks.[15]

Tyrer was named AFL Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1969. He and Ed Budde at guard made a powerful left side. In Super Bowl IV, Tyrer and Budde opened holes for Chiefs running backs against the Minnesota Vikings' opposing defensive linemen Jim Marshall and Alan Page, respectively, gaining 151 yards on 42 carries (3.6 yards per attempt) and 122 net passing yards in the team's upset 23–7 victory.

Tyrer was an anchor of Texans/Chiefs' line and was selected as The Sporting News'' AFL All-League tackle eight consecutive years, from 1962 through 1969. He was an AFL Western Division All-Star seven times, in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968 and 1969 before also capturing a pair of All-AFC accolades in 1970–71. His efforts in the upstart league would result in his selection to the American Football League All-Time Team.

At the retirement press conference for former Chief linemate Dave Hill in Kansas City in June 1975, Tyrer also announced his retirement.[16]

Family

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Tyrer's sons, Brad and Jason, went on to college football careers in the Big Eight Conference. Brad played for Nebraska under head coach Tom Osborne from 1983 to 1988, starting his junior and senior seasons. Tyrer and the Blackshirts defense led Nebraska to a win over LSU in the 1987 Sugar Bowl, a close loss to Florida State in the 1988 Fiesta Bowl, and a Big Eight title in 1988 and an appearance in the 1989 Orange Bowl. Jason was a defensive end for Kansas under head coach Glen Mason from 1988 to 1992.

After football

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Remaining in the Kansas City area following his retirement, Tyrer turned down an opportunity to serve as a scout for the Chiefs. He then spent the next three years as a salesman before tiring of the constant travel, and invested in a tire business. However, a mild winter proved to be financially disastrous for Tyrer, who moved on to work for Amway.

Death

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This series of business misfortunes culminated in the early hours of September 15, 1980, when Tyrer shot and killed his wife Martha, then died by suicide by turning the gun on himself.[17][18][19][20] The day before, he had attended a Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium with his ten-year-old son Jason.[21]

In 2021, the documentary "A Good Man: The Jim Tyrer Story" by Kansas City filmmaker Kevin Patrick Allen was released.[22] In recent years, it has been speculated that Tyrer may have suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of his death, as his doctor (who examined Tyrer two days before his death) has gone on to theorize that Tyrer's reports about having headaches, abdominal pain and a general feeling of not being himself, although CTE (involving brain trauma) was not known about at the time. Tyrer played in an era where lineman were expected to use their head as a battering ram, and his daughter has stated that the custom helmet he used for his large frame (6-7, 290 pounds) had a half-inch of cardboard lining with no suspension.[23]

In 2024, he was named as a Seniors finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, marking the first time he has been considered by the full board since 1981.[24] Tyrer is one of only two eligible players with at least six All-Pro selections to not be a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Source1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Gregorian, Vahe (February 18, 2022). "Why aren't more past KC Chiefs stars (like Otis Taylor) enshrined in the Hall of Fame?". Kansas City Star.
  3. ^ Nix, JW (May 3, 2011). "Kansas City Chiefs: Best Offensive Players Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame". Bleacher Report. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  4. ^ "Jim Tyrer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  5. ^ Kansas City Chiefs (August 1971). Chiefs 1971 Media Guide (Kansas City).
  6. ^ Turney, John (May 13, 2019). "Pro Football Journal: The NFL's Best-ever Post-WWII Tackles". Pro Football Journal. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  7. ^ "Jul 23, 1973, page 12 - The Kansas City Star at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com". www.newspapers.com. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  8. ^ Reusse, Patrick (November 15, 2020). "Tragedy, not Canton, became the fate of former Chiefs star lineman". www.startribune.com. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  9. ^ Nix, J. W. "Pro Football Hall of Fame : The Best Players Not Yet Inducted at Each Position". Bleacher Report. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  10. ^ Nix, J. W. "Crazy Canton Cuts: Jim Tyrer". Bleacher Report. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  11. ^ "NFL Rules Named After Players". SI. August 19, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  12. ^ Judge, Clark (July 22, 2024). "Maybe These AFL Stars Can Gain HOF Attention That Abner Haynes Did Not". Talk of Fame. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  13. ^ Gregorian, Vahe (12/03/2024). "How CTE explains why former KC Chiefs great Jim Tyrer is on cusp of Hall of Fame". {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Denlinger, Ken (09/20/80). "Tyrer Tragedy: No Coping With Mortality". The Washington Post. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Redskins get Tyrer". Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. August 29, 1974. p. 29.
  16. ^ "Hill, Tyrer end pro grid careers". Lawrence Journal-World. Kansas. Associated Press. June 14, 1975. p. 10.
  17. ^ "Former all-pro Tyrer kills wife, then self". Toledo Blade. Ohio. Associated Press. September 16, 1980. p. 23.
  18. ^ "Never Forget!". Sporting News. July 20, 2008. Archived from the original on August 30, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2009.
  19. ^ "Tyrer death KC shocker". Lawrence Journal-World. Associated Press. September 16, 1980. p. 9.
  20. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/08/05/jim-tyrer-murder-suicide-legacy/
  21. ^ Anderson, Dave (September 19, 1980). "Athletes' pride can be painful after sport". Lawrence Journal-World. Kansas. (New York Times news service). p. 15.
  22. ^ The Lost Kansas City Chief Remembering Chiefs Great Jim Tyrer - YouTube. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  23. ^ "Jim Tyrer: Rethinking HOF candidacy". September 28, 2024.
  24. ^ https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/turney-here-s-how-i-see-what-just-happened-with-hall-s-seniors/ar-AA1vlij3?ocid=BingNewsSerp
  25. ^ "NFL First-Team All-Pro Selections Career Leaders". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
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