You Are Here > Pro-Football-Reference.com > Players > L > Willie Lanier

Willie Lanier

Willie Edward Lanier

Position: LB
Height: 6-1    Weight: 245 lbs.
Born: August 21, 1945 in Clover, VA
College: Morgan State

Career AV: 99 (145th overall since 1950)

Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1986

8-time Pro Bowler & 3-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)

Drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2nd round (50th overall) of the 1967 NFL Draft.

63

Defense & Fumbles

Glossary · CSV · PRE · Game Log · Splits · TD Log
Def Interceptions Fumbles Tackles
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Sk Int Yds TD Lng PD FF Fmb FR Yds TD Tkl Ast Sfty AV
1967 22 KAN RLB 63 10 10 0 1 0 0 7
1968*+ 23 KAN MLB 63 14 14 4 120 1 75 16
1969* 24 KAN MLB 63 14 0 4 70 0 44 0 1 5 0 12
1970* 25 KAN MLB 63 14 0 2 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 10
1971*+ 26 KAN MLB 63 14 0 2 38 0 21 0 3 3 0 16
1972* 27 KAN MLB 63 13 0 2 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 11
1973*+ 28 KAN MLB 63 14 0 3 47 1 29 0 3 10 0 20
1974* 29 KAN MLB 63 14 0 2 28 0 14 0 2 3 0 1 11
1975* 30 KAN MLB 63 14 14 5 105 0 61 9
1976 31 KAN MLB 63 14 11 3 28 0 14 0 2 0 0 4
1977 32 KAN MLB 63 14 0 0 2 0 0 5
Career 149 49 27 440 2 75 0 18 21 0 1 121

Kick & Punt Returns

Glossary · CSV · PRE
Punt Returns Kick Returns
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Ret Yds TD Lng Y/R Rt Yds TD Lng Y/Rt APYd
1967 22 KAN RLB 63 10 10 1 1 0 1 1.0 1
Career 149 49 1 1 0 1 1.0 1

Scoring Summary

Glossary · CSV · PRE
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS RshTD RecTD PR TD KR TD FblTD IntTD OthTD AllTD 2PM XPM FGM Sfty Pts
1968*+ 23 KAN MLB 63 14 14 1 1 6
1973*+ 28 KAN MLB 63 14 0 1 1 6
1974* 29 KAN MLB 63 14 0 1 2
Career 149 49 2 2 1 14

Similar Players

Glossary · What does "similar" mean? · CSV · PRE
NumYrs Players whose career was of similar quality and shape
3 Joe Schmidt*, Phil Villapiano, Junior Seau, Lofa Tatupu, Kendrell Bell, Stan West, Sam Huff*, Jack Ham*, Jerry Robinson, DeMarcus Ware
4 Lofa Tatupu, Phil Villapiano, Junior Seau, Dale Dodrill, Chip Banks, Wayne Robinson, Chris Spielman, Jeff Siemon, Mike Singletary*, Joe Schmidt*
5 Phil Villapiano, Joe Schmidt*, Junior Seau, Mike Singletary*, Zach Thomas, Lance Briggs, Bill George*, Jeff Siemon, Jack Lambert*, Randy Gradishar
6 Phil Villapiano, Lance Briggs, Zach Thomas, Randy Gradishar, Joe Schmidt*, Jeff Siemon, Bobby Bell*, Junior Seau, Rickey Jackson, Nick Buoniconti*
7 Zach Thomas, Jack Lambert*, Sam Huff*, Bill George*, Derrick Brooks, Brian Urlacher, Bobby Bell*, Mike Singletary*, Joe Schmidt*, Junior Seau
8 Zach Thomas, Jack Lambert*, Bobby Bell*, Randy Gradishar, Brian Urlacher, Sam Huff*, Bill George*, Maxie Baughan, Junior Seau, Derrick Brooks
9 Bobby Bell*, Zach Thomas, Sam Huff*, Randy Gradishar, Jack Lambert*, Maxie Baughan, Brian Urlacher, Bill Bergey, Dick Butkus*, Junior Seau
10 Randy Gradishar, Zach Thomas, Bobby Bell*, Chris Hanburger, Sam Huff*, Bill Bergey, Ted Hendricks*, Sam Mills, Brian Urlacher, Maxie Baughan
11 Sam Mills, Randy Gradishar, Sam Huff*, Nick Buoniconti*, Harry Carson*, Bobby Bell*, Ted Hendricks*, Chris Hanburger, Bill Bergey, Wilber Marshall
Career Randy Gradishar, Sam Mills, Karl Mecklenburg, Andre Tippett*, Mike Curtis, Brian Urlacher, Wilber Marshall, Robert Brazile, Bill Bergey, Dick Butkus*

Appearances on Leader Boards, Awards, and Honors

Glossary

Awards

1972 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year

Pro Bowls

1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975

First-Team All-Pro

1968
1971
1973

Non-Offensive TDs

1968 AFL 1 (6)

Fumbles Recovered

Career 18 (124)

Intercept. Ret. Yds

1968 AFL 120 (6)

Intercept. Ret. TD

1968 AFL 1 (5)
1973 NFL 1 (3)

Long Intercep. Return

1968 AFL 75 (3)
1975 NFL 61 (10)

Safeties

1974 NFL 1 (1/18)
Career 1 (69)

     
Stats are Year Lg Value (Rank Season/Rank in Top 100 All-Time Seasons)

All-Pro Teams

Glossary
1968Sporting News: 2nd Team All-Conf.
 Associated Press: 1st Team All-AFL
 Newspaper Ent. Assoc.: 1st Team All-AFL
 NY Daily News: 2nd Team All-AFL
1969Hall of Fame: 2nd Team All-AFL
 Newspaper Ent. Assoc.: 2nd Team All-AFL
 NY Daily News: 1st Team All-AFL
 Pro Football Weekly: 1st Team All-AFL
 Sporting News: 2nd Team All-AFL
 UPI: 2nd Team All-AFL
1970Associated Press: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Pro Football Weekly: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Sporting News: 1st Team All-Conf.
 UPI: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Pro Football Writers: 2nd Team All-NFL
 Newspaper Ent. Assoc.: 2nd Team All-NFL
1971Associated Press: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Pro Football Weekly: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Sporting News: 1st Team All-Conf.
 UPI: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Associated Press: 1st Team All-NFL
 Pro Football Writers: 1st Team All-NFL
 Newspaper Ent. Assoc.: 1st Team All-NFL
 Pro Football Weekly: 1st Team All-NFL
1972Pro Football Weekly: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Sporting News: 1st Team All-Conf.
 UPI: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Newspaper Ent. Assoc.: 2nd Team All-NFL
 Pro Football Weekly: 1st Team All-NFL
1973Associated Press: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Pro Football Weekly: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Sporting News: 1st Team All-Conf.
 UPI: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Associated Press: 1st Team All-NFL
 Pro Football Writers: 2nd Team All-NFL
 Newspaper Ent. Assoc.: 1st Team All-NFL
1974Associated Press: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Pro Football Weekly: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Sporting News: 1st Team All-Conf.
 UPI: 1st Team All-Conf.
 Associated Press: 2nd Team All-NFL
 Pro Football Writers: 2nd Team All-NFL
 Newspaper Ent. Assoc.: 1st Team All-NFL
1975UPI: 2nd Team All-Conf.
 Pro Football Writers: 2nd Team All-NFL
 Newspaper Ent. Assoc.: 1st Team All-NFL