KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Abner Haynes, one of the Kansas City Chiefs first superstars and a civil rights pioneer, died Thursday in Dallas. He was 86.
Haynes became an immediate star when he joined the Dallas Texans as a rookie in 1960.
He led the American Football League in rushing with 875 yards and was named the league's first Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year, according to a news release from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Haynes scored 12 touchdowns in his rookie season, a team record for rookies that still stands, the news release states.
Haynes earned All-AFL honors his first three years in the league, including 1962, when the Texans won the AFL Championship in overtime over the Houston Oilers.
In the 1962 season, Haynes became the team's first player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.
He moved with the team to Kansas City after the 1962 season and played for the Chiefs for two seasons.
Haynes finished his Chiefs career with 8,473 combined net yards and was the team's leading rusher in four of his five seasons, according to the news release.
His last season with the Chiefs was 1964. He continued his career with the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.
He also made his mark during the civil rights era.
Haynes and teammate Leon King in 1956 became the first Black players to play on an integrated college football team in Texas.
The two were members of the North Texas State College freshman team.
"My family and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Chiefs Hall of Famer Abner Haynes," Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. "Abner was one of the first great stars of the Dallas Texans and the American Football League. In the league's first season in 1960, Abner earned Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors, and more importantly, he earned the respect and admiration of his teammates and fans alike. In addition to his on-the-field prowess, Abner was a man of courage and leadership from a very young age. He remained involved in the community well after his playing days were over, and his legacy extends far beyond the gridiron. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Guadalupe and his entire family during this difficult time."
He was inducted to the North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1991.
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