Jim Tyrer

Jim Tyrer

No. 77, 71
Position:	Offensive tackle
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1939-02-25)February 25, 1939
Place of birth:	Newark, Ohio
Date of death:
Place of death:	Kansas City, Missouri
Height:
Weight:
Career information
College:	Ohio State
NFL draft:	1961 / Round: 14 / Pick: 188
AFL draft:	1961 / Round: 3 / Pick: 22
Career history
Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs (1961–1973) Washington Redskins (1974)
Career highlights and awards
8× TSN All-AFL (1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969) 6× AFL All-Star (1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969) 2× AFC-NFC Pro Bowl (1971, 1972) 3× American Football League champion (1962, 1966, 1969) (Super Bowl Champion (IV) AFL All-Time Team KC Chiefs Hall of Fame (1978)
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 194 Games started: 55 Fumble recoveries: 2 Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

James Efflo Tyrer (February 25, 1939 – September 15, 1980) was an American football offensive tackle in the American Football League for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs. He also played in the National Football League for the Chiefs and the Washington Redskins.

College career

Tyrer played college football at Ohio State University, where he earned All-America honors.

Professional career

Tyrer signed with the American Football League's Dallas Texans in 1961. He played 13 years with that franchise (180 consecutive games), which became the Kansas City Chiefs in 1963, helping set the standard for his position at left offensive tackle. He concluded his career in 1974 with the NFL Washington Redskins.

Tyrer was named AFL Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1969. He and Ed Budde at guard made a powerful left side. In Super Bowl IV, Tyrer and Budde opened holes for Chiefs running backs against the Minnesota Vikings' opposing defensive linemen Jim Marshall and Alan Page, respectively, gaining 151 yards on 42 carries (3.6 yards per attempt) and 122 net passing yards in the team's upset 23-7 victory.

He served as an anchor for the Texans' (who became the Kansas City Chiefs in 1963) line, and was selected as The Sporting News'' AFL All-League tackle eight consecutive years, from 1962 through 1969. He was an AFL Western Division All-Star seven times, in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968 and 1969 before also capturing a pair of All-AFC accolades in 1970-71. His efforts in the upstart league would result in his selection to the American Football League All-Time Team.

Tyrer's playing credentials compare favorably with NFL lineman in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, however several factors evidently mitigate against his induction:

• Many of his teammates have been inducted, and selectors tend to shy away from enshrining too many from the same team;
• modern selectors may have little knowledge of the American Football League, or believe it was an inferior league; and
• the unfortunate nature of his death.

Family

Two of Tyrer's two sons, Brad and Jason, went on to football careers of their own. Brad played for Tom Osborne's Nebraska Cornhuskers from 1983-1988, starting his junior and senior seasons. Tyrer and the Blackshirts defense led Nebraska to wins over LSU in the 1987 Sugar Bowl and Florida State in the 1988 Fiesta Bowl as well as a 1988 Big 8 Conference title. Jason was a defensive end for the University of Kansas under Glen Mason from 1988 to 1992.

After football

Remaining in the Kansas City area following his retirement, Tyrer turned down an opportunity to serve as a scout for the Chiefs. He then spent the next three years as a salesman before tiring of the constant travel and investing in a tire business. However, a mild winter proved to be financially disastrous for Tyrer, who moved on to work for Amway.

Death

This series of business misfortunes culminated on September 15, 1980 when Tyrer, the father of four, shot his wife and then committed suicide by turning the gun on himself. He is survived by his four children.

See also

• Other American Football League players

External links

• Tyrer's 1965 Topps football card