General
Abner Haynes, a Star of the A.F.L.’s Early Years, Dies at 86
He was a threat as a halfback, receiver and returner for the Dallas Texans, the team that became the Kansas City Chiefs. But he still had to deal with racism.
Abner Haynes, a fast, exciting and elusive halfback who integrated his college team in Texas, and who later became an early star of the brand-new American Football League as it battled for recognition against the established N.F.L., died on July 17 in Dallas. He was 86.
His sons Abner Jr. and King David confirmed the death, in a hospital, but said they did not know the cause.
Playing for the Dallas Texans, Haynes rushed for a league-leading 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 1960; he also ranked fifth in the league in receiving, with 55 catches, and first in punt return yardage. He was voted Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year.
The Texans moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs in 1963.
“He was a franchise player before they talked about franchise players,” Hank Stram, who coached the team from 1960 to 1974, told The Kansas City Star in 1991. “He did it all: rushing, receiving, kickoff returns, punt returns. He gave us the dimension we needed to be a good team in Dallas.”
In one of his greatest games, Haynes rushed for four touchdowns and scored a fifth on a 66-yard pass in a 43-11 romp over the Oakland Raiders in 1961. The five individual touchdowns remain a franchise record, shared with Jamaal Charles, who tied it in 2013.
In 1962, Haynes ran for 1,049 yards, the most in his career and second in the league. He also scored a league-leading 19 rushing and receiving touchdowns.
