The beautiful life and tragic death of former Kansas City Chiefs star Joe Delaney
Joe Delaney just wanted to help.
Delaney, a budding star for the Kansas City Chiefs, was back in his beloved home state of Louisiana on June 29, 1983, attending a “Kids Day” celebration in Monroe, about 100 miles from Haughton where Delaney grew up. Delaney, only a couple months shy of starting his third season as the Chiefs’ main running back, was playing in a softball game when he heard the screams. Three young boys were immersed in a rain-filled pit near the softball field. Curious, they jumped in to play and quickly realized it was deeper than expected. Suddenly, they were fighting to keep their heads above water.
Delaney rushed into action. “Can you swim?” someone asked. Joe said he couldn’t, but it didn’t matter. The boys needed help. Delaney dove in. He did not make it out alive. Delaney, and two of the boys, died from drowning.
Hours later, news of Delaney’s death reached Kansas City. Teammates, coaches and fans were stunned. Delaney, one of the NFL’s rising young stars in the early 1980s, was gone. He was just 24 years old. He left behind a wife and three young daughters.
In 1981, Delaney burst onto the scene with a magnificent rookie season. He rushed for 1,121 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. Delaney, out of little Northwestern State (Louisiana), also grabbed 22 receptions for 246 yards. His efforts led to a Pro Bowl selection and Rookie of the Year honors.
In ‘81, the Chiefs weren’t the potent machine we know today. Led by coach Marv Levy, KC was an inconsistent team, scratching and clawing for a Wild Card playoff berth. The Chiefs finished 9-7, third in the AFC West, and missed the postseason. Despite not reaching the playoffs, it was KC’s first winning season in eight years. The ‘81 Chiefs provided hope for the future and Delaney was the centerpiece.
Postseason awards and stats aside, Delaney was LOVED by teammates. Coaches raved about his passion and his work ethic. One of eight children born from humble roots in rural Louisiana, Delaney burned with a desire to be great. The running back put in the extra time after practice, watched film, bonded with teammates. Void of a star quarterback in the early ‘80s, Delaney was ready to carry the Chiefs on his back for the next decade.
Then tragedy struck. We’re reminded how fragile life can be.
Sure, Delaney will be remembered for a fine rookie season, but it was what he did in death that should truly be honored. A final unselfish act to save the lives of children. Being unselfish was nothing new for Delaney. While in college at Northwestern State, he was preparing to play wide receiver when his team lost a tailback to injury. He told the coaches, “If you need me at running back, I’ll do it.” So, after struggling his freshman season, he improved steadily his sophomore year and became one of the nation’s top rushers his junior season.
At the ‘81 NFL draft, the Chiefs selected Delaney in the second round. Size was a concern. At 5-10, 185 pounds, he didn’t have a punishing frame, but he was quick with a burst of speed that left defenders flailing. He made the roster and eventually became the Chiefs’ starting running back in the midst of the season. But there was a problem.
Delaney was playing with a detached retina.
The eye ailment wasn’t diagnosed until the ‘81 season ended. He began the ‘82 season wearing goggles but discarded them for contacts. A knee injury, along with a two-month player strike, grounded Delaney’s sophomore campaign. In eight games, he rushed for 380 yards on 95 carries. It wasn’t the year Delaney had hoped for, but he was excited for the ‘83 season.
KC knew it had a unique player in the fold. A transcendent performer that doesn’t come around often.
Before the start of his second season, Les Miller, the Chiefs’ director of player personnel, told Delaney’s college coach, A.L. Williams, “He’s probably the hardest worker and most popular player on the team. He’s even an influence on the veterans and usually it’s the other way around.”
A ‘coach’s dream’
Delaney began his march toward Rookie of the Year with a standout day against the New England Patriots.
On Oct. 4, 1981, in a 33-17 loss, Delaney rushed for 101 yards on 18 carries with one TD. One week later, he proved the outburst against the Pats was no joke, rushing for 106 yards on 28 attempts in a 27-0 pasting of the Oakland Raiders. He kept the momentum churning on Oct. 18 in a 28-14 win over the Denver Broncos, running for 149 yards on 21 attempts. With the Chiefs grasping to a 21-14 lead, Delaney sealed the victory in the fourth quarter with an 82-yard dash to the end zone — the longest run from scrimmage in the league in ‘81.
On Nov. 1, despite a tough 22-20 setback to the San Diego Chargers, Delaney paced the Chiefs with 117 yards on 23 carries. On Nov. 15, Delaney pumped in 193 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries in a 23-10 victory over the Houston Oilers.
The Chiefs, 6-2 at the midway point of the season, fizzled down the stretch, dropping five of their last eight games.
After going 3-6 in the strike-shortened ‘82 season, Levy was dismissed as head coach. He would go on to have greater success with the Buffalo Bills, winning four straight AFC crowns in the early 1990s.
At the time of Delaney’s death, Levy had already been coaching for more than three decades. From high school to the NFL, he had seen hundreds of players come and go, but there was only one Joe Delaney.
“He was a coach’s dream. If you were to sit down and describe the exact qualities you’d want in a player — ability, toughness, willingness to work hard and concentrate, you would be describing Joe,” Levy told the Springfield (Missouri) Leader and Press on June 30, 1983. “He was a person who was genuine and honest right to the core of his being. There aren’t many like Joe Delaney. There really are very few.”
For a very cool Joe Delaney highlight package, check this out.