It has been 39 years since Kansas City Chiefs RB Joe Delaney sacrificed his life in an attempt to save three drowning children.
Delaney was a rising star in the Chiefs’ organization with a bright future ahead of him. A former second-round draft pick out of Northwestern State in 1981, Delaney made an immediate impact as a rookie in the NFL. He started just 10 games, but he finished the season with 234 carries for 1,121 yards and three rushing scores, supplanting Mike Garrett’s franchise records for a rookie. He even had the longest play from scrimmage in the NFL that season, with an 82-yard touchdown scamper against the Denver Broncos. The performance earned Delaney AFC Rookie of the Year honors and a trip to the Pro Bowl, it also contributed to the first winning season for Kansas City in nearly a decade.
Delaney is hardly remembered for what he did on the football field nowadays. He is instead remembered for the sacrifice that he made off of the football field. Following the 1982 NFL season, Delaney had returned to his hometown of Monroe, Louisiana for some rest and relaxation during the offseason. On June 29th, 1983, Delaney’s selfless actions would help save a life.
