Former Kansas City Chiefs safety Jim Kearney died on Tuesday, the Chiefs announced last night.
Kearney was 81. In 1965, he was selected in the 11th round by the Detroit Lions out of Prairie View A&M. He spent two seasons in the Motor City before joining the Chiefs for nine years from 1967 to 1975.
Kearney concluded his career with 14 games for the New Orleans Saints in 1976.
“We are terribly saddened by the demise of former safety Jim Kearney. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family,” the Chiefs wrote on Twitter.
Over his final eight seasons with Kansas City, Kearney started every regular-season game and was a member of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning group in 1969. He had 23 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries during his time in Kansas City.
Kearney set a single-season record in 1972 by returning four interceptions for touchdowns, which held for five decades until Daron Bland broke it last year with the Cowboys.
“During his nine-year career in Kansas City, Jim was part of an AFL Championship team and helped lead the Chiefs’ defense to a 23-7 victory in Super Bowl IV,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said in a statement. “Jim made his Chiefs debut in 1967 and never missed a game for the next eight years. However, the most spectacular aspects of Jim’s life occurred off the field. Following his playing career, he became a high school teacher and coach. He mentored hundreds of students in the Kansas City region and will be remembered as a terrific athlete, teacher, and guy.
“My family and I send our deepest condolences to Shirley and the entire Kearney family.”
