The Greatest Kansas City Chiefs, By the Numbers: #37

Two Kansas City Chiefs have worn number 37 - CB Tim Collier and RB Joe Delaney.
While Collier spent three seasons in KC as part of a three team journey in his career, Joe Delaney's two NFL seasons left an impact that was much greater.
After the jump, I've posted what we wrote back in June, on the anniversary of Joe's death. And since it's 3:45 AM right now on the west coast (where I am before I fly out today), I feel lucky to have gotten this posted (Anyone else feel like they're perpetually chasing more sleep?).
Click over for more info on Joe Delaney.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Joe Delaney died 26 years ago. A second round pick by the Chiefs in 1981, Delaney played only two seasons in Kansas City before his life came to a tragic end.
Three boys were swimming in a pond in Monroe, LA at about two in the afternoon. As they waded out farther away from the shore, they would soon find that the bottom dropped off. Screaming and thrashing in the water, only one man in a crowd of people stepped forward.
Joe Delaney.
"Can you swim?" a little boy asked Joe.
"I can't swim good but I've got to save those kids. If I don't come up, get somebody." Unfortunate for the rest of the world and the Kansas City Chiefs, those were the last words of Joe Delaney as he died while trying to save the kids.
One of the boys was able to find his way to the shore. The two others and Delaney did not.
This article by Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated from November 7th, 1983, is a must-read on Joe.
On this day, we tip our hats to a man we proudly call a member of the Kansas City Chiefs family. Delaney's inspiring act reminds us of the common bond that connects all human beings, which is perhaps his greatest legacy.
More on Joe:
- 1981 AFC Rookie of the Year
- Rushed for 1,121 yards in his rookie season
- 1982 Pro Bowl selection
- All-American selection in 1979 and 1980
- Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997
- His name is on the Ring of Honor at Arrowhead Stadium
Read more about the Greatest Chiefs:
#1 - QB Warren Moon
#2 - P Dustin Colquitt
#3 - K Jan Stenerud
#4 - P Nick Murphy
#5 - P Louie Aguiar
#6 - RB Warren McVea
#7 - QB Ron Jaworski
#8 - K Nick Lowery
#9 - QB Bill Kenney
#10 - QB Trent Green
#11 - QB Elvis Grbac
#12 - QB Rich Gannon
#13 - QB Steve Bono
#14 - RB Ed Podolak
#16 - QB Len Dawson
#17 - QB Steve Deberg
#18 - CB Emmitt Thomas
#19 - QB Joe Montana
#20 - S Deron Cherry
#21 - S Jerome Woods
#22 - DB Willie Mitchell
#23 - RB Barry Word
#24 - CB Jayice Pearson
#25 - S Greg Wesley
#26 - S Gary Barbaro
#27 - RB Larry Johnson
#28 - RB Abner Haynes
#29 - CB Albert Lewis
#30 - RB Donnell Bennett
#31 - RB Priest Holmes
#32 - RB Marcus Allen
#33 - RB Stone Johnson
#34 - CB Dale Carter
#35 - RB Christian Okoye
#36 - RB Mack Lee Hill
8 comments
|
2 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
The very first
Player of any kind that I actually cried over~ I was 17 years old and getting ready for my senior year in high school! I was pumped about the Chiefs that year, considering that Joe was going to lead us to the promised land, and I was about to enter my senior year of football, I WAS PUMPED!
Then this happened, he who could not swim, but yet could not turn a death ear to the cries for help of children! Without knowing how to swim, ( his wife said he sunk like a ROCK when he tried to swim), he jumps in and tries to save all 3, coming up 2 shy amongst himself~
What a life to give, what a season gone astray but most of all. The Father, Husband and the PLAYER, lead me to believe, HE WAS IN THE PROMISED LAND!
Ol' Kansan' Chief
I never knew Joe Delaney.
I never knew Joe Delaney. I was too young to care much about the NFL when Joe Delaney played for the Chiefs. When I went to Chiefs games back in college, his was one of the names I didn’t recognize on the Ring of Honor.
Over the past year, after having read about him and about his life, here on Arrowhead Pride and in the S.I. article linked to here, I’ve come to not only know Joe, but to admire Joe.
And, while I grew up not knowing him, my son won’t. When we walk into the new Hall of Honor at the new Arrowhead and he asks me who these guys are, I’ll tell him Joe’s story. And I’ll hope that, someday, he can grow up to be the kind of man Joe was.
R.I.P., Mr. Joe D. I never knew you, but we’ll never forget you.
by JacinB on Aug 26, 2009 9:31 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Joe Delaney...
…is the greatest Chief of them all. he may not have the stats, but he was a gentleman, a warrior, and he sacrificed his career, his glory, his life, for three children he didn’t know.
The fact so many current Chiefs fans know so little about Joe Delaney, it’s a travesty. Hopefully, this will act as an education.
Amen~
To the fact that only 5 comments have been given, shows the age group of the AP followers~ Most of AP fans became fans when Marty came aboard in the 90’s, and they have no idea of the 70’s and 80’s that was the most difficult of any of the Chiefs years to date!
Can you imagine the way they would act if we had to bring out the 1985 chiefs and compare it to the last 2 years~ I bet ya most would love Herms team over the 80’s team~ those years were ROUGH for a CHIEFS FAN!
Its ok though~ TO KNOW JOE was TO LOVE JOE!
if ya didnt know JOE~ go to GOOGLE and find out exactly why JOE was such a big deal to us older fans in the DAY!
Ol' Kansan' Chief
by Kansan_Chief on Aug 26, 2009 12:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Very neat
I didn’t know anything about Joe D until I read the “greatest chiefs” post on him. Thanks for the info, it’s sad to hear how it all played out, but it’s good to know that such a great person played for our team.
by GonzosDirtyTrailer on Aug 26, 2009 12:36 PM CDT reply actions
Joe burns the Broncos
My most memorable Joe Delaney play was when he broke a long run against the Broncos in 81. He had run for a 75 yard TD that was called back for holding, and then ran one for an 82 yard TD one or two plays later. Talk about a back breaker! I remember doing some serious fist pumping at that point because it was clear the Chiefs had gotten themselves a GREAT RB! He was a class act all the way. It was a real blow to learn he had died, but he did it trying to save others. God bless you, Joe!, We miss you!!

by 
























