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Gene Washington (American football, born 1944)

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For the former San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions wide receiver, see Gene Washington (American football, born 1947).

Gene Washington
refer to caption
Washington in 2018
No. 84
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1944-01-25) January 25, 1944 (age 80)
La Porte, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High school:George Washington Carver
(Baytown, Texas)
College:Michigan State (1964–1966)
NFL draft:1967 / round: 1 / pick: 8
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:182
Receiving yards:3,237
Receiving touchdowns:26
Stats at Pro Football Reference
College Football Hall of Fame

Eugene Washington (born January 25, 1944) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Minnesota Vikings (1967–1972) and the Denver Broncos (1973). He was one of two wide receivers in the NFL with the same name during the last five year of his career as an active player, but neither were ever teammates.[1]

Early years

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Washington was born in 1944 at La Porte, Texas. He attended George Washington Carver High School in Baytown, Texas.[2]

Michigan State

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Washington enrolled at Michigan State University in 1963. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans football program from 1963 to 1966. He also ran track as well as playing football for the Spartans and was the 1965 NCAA indoor champion for 60-yard hurdles.

As a sophomore in 1964, he had 35 catches for 542 yards and five touchdowns.[3]

As a junior, he starred for the 1965 Michigan State Spartans football team that was recognized as the national champion in the UPI coaches poll. Washington was the leading receiver for the 1965 team, totaling 40 catches for 638 yards and four touchdowns.[4]

As a senior, Washington helped lead the 1966 Michigan State team to an undefeated 9–0–1 record and the No 2 ranking in both the AP and UPI polls. He had 27 catches for 677 yards and seven touchdowns for the 1966 team.[3]

Professional career

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Washington was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round, with the eighth overall pick, in the 1967 NFL draft.[2] As a rookie, Washington averaged 29.5 yards per reception. In 1968, he caught 46 passes. In 1969, Washington had 821 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Washington made the Pro Bowl in 1969 and 1970. He played in Super Bowl IV (one catch for nine yards) after the 1969 NFL season. The Vikings were upset by the Kansas City Chiefs, 23-7, on January 11, 1970, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Washington was one of the fifteen plaintiffs in Mackey v. National Football League in which Judge Earl R. Larson declared that the Rozelle rule was a violation of antitrust laws on December 30, 1975.[5][6] He is the subject of the documentary, Through the Banks of the Red Cedar, written and directed by his daughter Maya Washington.

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Won the NFL championship
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season

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Year Team Games Receiving
GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
1967 MIN 14 4 13 384 29.5 85 2
1968 MIN 14 14 46 756 16.4 61 6
1969 MIN 14 14 39 821 21.1 83 9
1970 MIN 14 14 44 702 16.0 49 4
1971 MIN 13 9 12 165 13.8 51 0
1972 MIN 12 11 18 259 14.4 39 2
1973 DEN 14 0 10 150 15.0 28 3
Career 95 66 182 3,237 17.8 85 26

References

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  1. ^ Wallace, William N. "Vikings’ Defense vs. 49ers’ Offense," The New York Times, Wednesday, December 23, 1970. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Gene Washington". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Gene Washington College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  4. ^ "1965 Michigan State Spartans Stats". SR/CFB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  5. ^ Wallace, William N. "Rozelle Rule Found In Antitrust Violation," The New York Times, Wednesday, December 31, 1975. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  6. ^ Mackey v. National Football League, 407 F. Supp. 1000 (D. Minn. 1975) – Justia.com. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
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