- Paul "Tank" Younger
NFL player
Name=Tank Younger
DateOfBirth=June 25 1928
Birthplace=Grambling, Louisiana
DateOfDeath=death date and age|2001|09|15|1928|06|25
Deathplace=Inglewood, California
College=Grambling
Position=Running Back
DraftedYear=1949
DraftedRound=
ProBowls=4
Awards=
Honors=
Records=
Retired #s=
years=1949-1957
1958
teams=Los Angeles Rams Pittsburgh Steelers
Stats=y
PFR=YounTa00
DatabaseFootball=YOUNGTAN01
CollegeHOF=40119Paul Lawrence "Tank" Younger (born
June 25 1928 inGrambling, Louisiana - diedSeptember 15 2001 inInglewood, California ) was a fullback andlinebacker in theNational Football League from 1949 through 1958. He played college football forGrambling State University , was the firstNFL player from a predominantly black college, and was the firstAfrican American to become an NFL front-office administrator (scout and executive with the Rams until 1975).At Grambling, Younger started off as a tackle, but Coach
Eddie Robinson soon recognized that Younger’s skills better suited him to play in the offensive backfield and atlinebacker . Younger earned the nickname "Tank" by deftly plowing over countless would-be tacklers. In 1945, as a freshman, Younger led the nation in scoring with 25 touchdowns. In his junior year, he rushed for 1,207 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. Younger also completed 43 of 73 pass attempts, 11 for touchdowns. When he graduated in 1948, hisNCAA career total of 60 touchdowns (scored mostly on punt returns and end-around plays) was an all-time record. After his senior season, he was voted Black College Football's Player of the Year and named a member of the 1948 "Pittsburgh Courier "All-America team.Undrafted by an NFL team, Younger signed with theLos Angeles Rams as afree agent and became the first NFL player from anHBCU . He was a member of the Rams renowned "Bull Elephant" backfield (with "Deacon" Dan Towler andDick Hoerner ), and he is the sixth-leading rusher in Rams history with 3,296 yards.In his ten-year professional career with the Rams and the
Pittsburgh Steelers , Younger was named to thePro Bowl four times (1951, 1952, 1953, and 1955), rushed for 3640 yards on 770 carries, caught 100 passes for 1167 yards, scored 35 touchdowns (34 rushing, 1 receiving), and intercepted three passes on defense (also throwing an interception on his only NFL pass attempt). He was the first black player to play in an NFL All-Star Game and became the league's first black assistantgeneral manager (with theSan Diego Chargers , 1975-1987). In 2000, Younger was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame .
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