Ken Houston

For the NHL hockey defenseman named Ken Houston, see Ken Houston (ice hockey).
Ken Houston
No. 29, 27     
Safety
Personal information
Date of birth: November 12, 1944 (1944-11-12) (age 67)
Place of birth: Lufkin, Texas
High School: Dunbar High School
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Weight: 197 lb (89 kg)
Career information
College: Prairie View A&M
NFL Draft: 1967 / Round: 9 / Pick: 214
Debuted in 1967 for the Houston Oilers
Last played in 1980 for the Washington Redskins
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 1980
Games played     196
Interceptions     49
Interception return yards     898
Fumbles recovered     21
Touchdowns     12
Stats at NFL.com
Stats at pro-football-reference.com
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Kenneth Ray Houston (born November 12, 1944 in Lufkin, Texas) is a former American football defensive back in the American Football League and National Football League. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

Houston played for the AFL's Houston Oilers from 1967 through 1969, and after the AFL-NFL merger, with the Oilers from 1970 through 1972, then with the Washington Redskins until 1980.

Contents

Early life

Houston was born in Lufkin, Texas and was the third of four children. His father, Herod, owned a dry cleaning business.[1] Houston attended Dunbar High School where he played basketball and football.[1]

College career

Only one school that recruited Houston after high school was Prairie State College (now Prairie View A&M University).[1] Bishop College initially offered him a scholarship, but then withdrew it (the school had yet to be desegregated).[1]

Houston attended and played college football at Prairie View A & M University.[1] For a short time he was a center, and then became the starting linebacker and was selected All-American in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.[1]

Houston also ran track, and was on the swim team during the four years he was at Prairie State.[1]

Professional career

Houston was an all-league player for twelve consecutive years: an American Football League All-Star in 1968 and 1969, and then in the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl from 1970 through 1979.[2] He was selected All-Pro three times. In 1999, he was ranked number 61 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.[3]

Throughout his career, Houston intercepted 49 passes, recovered 21 fumbles, gained 1,498 return yards (on interception, fumble, blocked field goal, kickoff, and punt returns), and scored 12 touchdowns. Houston is a member of the 1986 class of the Hall of Fame.[2]

Houston Oilers

Houston was drafted in the ninth round of the 1967 AFL-NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers of the American Football League. He became a starter by the third game of his rookie season.[2] Two weeks later, in a game against the New York Jets, he scored two touchdowns, one on a 71-yard (65 m) blocked field goal attempt, and the other on a 43-yard (39 m) interception return.[2]

In 1971 he set an NFL record with five touchdown returns (four interceptions and one fumble). This would stand until surpassed by Devin Hester's six return touchdowns in the 2006 season.[4]

Washington Redskins

After six years with the Oilers, Houston was traded to the Washington Redskins for five veteran players in 1973.[2] Included in the trade were offensive lineman Jim Snowden, tight end Mack Alston, wide receiver Clifton McNeil, defensive end Mike Fanucci, and defensive back Jeff Severson.[1] While with the Redskins, Houston went to seven straight Pro Bowls.

Coaching career

After his retirement in 1980, Houston served as a head football coach for Wheatley High School and Westbury High School in Houston, Texas.[1] From 1982 to 1985, he was the defensive backfield coach for the Houston Oilers and from 1986 to 1990 he was the defensive backfield coach for the University of Houston.[1]

After football

Since 1990, Houston has served as a guidance counselor for children in hospitals and who are home bound or have been placed in child care agencies by the State of Texas. He does this work for the Houston Independent School District.[1]

Personal

Houston has a wife, Gustie, a daughter, Kene; and a son, Kenneth Christian.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Whatever Happened to ... Ken Houston". Extreme Skins. http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118721. Retrieved 2008-06-19. 
  2. ^ a b c d e "Ken Houston's HOF Profile". Pro Football Hall of Fame. http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=100. Retrieved 2008-06-19. 
  3. ^ "Football's 100 Greatest Players". The Sporting News. http://archive.sportingnews.com/nfl/100/. Retrieved 2008-06-19. 
  4. ^ Pedulla, Tom; Mihoces, Gary (2007-02-01). "Addai, Hester step lightly, make impact". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/super/2007-02-01-bonus-rookies_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-19. 

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Coaches
George Allen Head Coach 1971–77 • Cliff Battles RB 1932–37 • Sammy Baugh QB 1937–52 • Gene Brito DE, 1951–53, 1955–58 • Larry Brown RB 1969–76 • Dave Butz DT 1975–88 • Gary Clark WR 1985–92 • Jack Kent Cooke Owner 1961–97 • Bill Dudley RB, 1950–51, 1953 • Wayne Curry Prince George's County Executive 1994–2002 • Pat Fischer CB 1968–77 • Joe Gibbs Head Coach, 1981–92, 2004–07 • Darrell Green CB 1983–2002 • Russ Grimm G 1981–91 • Chris Hanburger LB 1965–78 • Ken Harvey LB 1994–98 • Len Hauss C 1964–77 • Phil Hochberg PA Announcer 1963–2000 • Ken Houston S 1973–80 • Sam Huff LB, 1964–67, 1969 • Joe Jacoby T/G 1981–93 • Dick James RB 1956–63 • Sonny Jurgensen QB 1964–74 • Charlie Justice RB, 1950, 1952–54 • Billy Kilmer QB 1971–78 • Eddie LeBaron QB, 1952–53, 1955–59 • Vince Lombardi Head Coach 1969 • Dexter Manley DE 1981–89 • Charles Mann DE 1983–93 • George Preston Marshall Team Founder & Owner 1932–69 • Wayne Millner End, 1936–41, 1945 • Bobby Mitchell Flanker 1962–68 • Brian Mitchell RB/KR 1990–99 • Art Monk WR 1980–93 • Mark Moseley PK 1974–86 • Brig Owens DB 1966–77 • Vince Promuto G 1960–70 • John Riggins RB, 1976–79, 1981–85 • Jerry Smith TE 1965–77 • Charley Taylor WR 1964–77 • Sean Taylor S 2004–07 • Joe Theismann QB 1974–85 • Lamar "Bubba" Tyer Head Athletic Trainer, 1971–2002, 2004–08 • Doug Williams QB 1986–89 •