Remembering Joe Delaney: 42 Years Later, His Sacrifice Still Matters

Joe Delaney: A Life Worth Remembering

On June 29, 1983, Kansas City Chiefs running back Joe Delaney ran toward danger instead of away from it. He was 24 years old, could not swim well, and knew it. He jumped in anyway.

Three children were struggling in a man-made pond in Monroe, Louisiana. Delaney reportedly said, "I can't swim good, but I've got to save those kids," before entering the water. He managed to pull one boy to safety. The other two children drowned. So did Delaney.

He left behind a wife and three young daughters.

The Player He Was

Delaney was a second-round pick by the Chiefs in the 1981 NFL Draft. His rookie season earned him a Pro Bowl selection and hinted at a long, productive career. In that first year he set four franchise records that would stand for more than two decades:

• Most rushing yards in a single season (1,121)
• Most rushing yards in a single game (193)
• Most consecutive 100-yard games (three)
• Most 100-yard games in a single season (five)

A strike-shortened 1982 season combined with a detached retina limited him to 380 rushing yards in year two. He never got a third season.

The Legacy He Left

President Ronald Reagan posthumously awarded Delaney the Presidential Citizens Medal. The Chiefs have never officially retired his No. 37, but no Kansas City player has worn it since. In 2020, a monument honoring his sacrifice was installed in Louisiana.

Delaney's nephew, wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., carries the family name forward in the NFL today.

The Chiefs posted a tribute on the 42nd anniversary of his passing. Adam Schefter shared it. There is no fantasy angle here. Some stories are just worth telling again.

Joe Delaney was a good football player. He was a better person.