Leon Burns

Leon Keith Burns (September 15, 1942 – December 22, 1984) was an American football running back who played for two years in the National Football League (NFL). After attending Laney College and California State University, Long Beach, he was drafted in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. Burns later played for the St. Louis Cardinals, as well as the Portland Storm of the World Football League.[1]

Leon Burns
No. 38
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born:(1942-09-15)September 15, 1942
Oakland, California, U.S.
Died:December 22, 1984(1984-12-22) (aged 42)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:228 lb (103 kg)
Career information
College:Long Beach State
NFL Draft:1971 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:292
Rushing touchdowns:3
Receptions:9
Receiving yards:46
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

In 1969, while playing for Long Beach State, Burns led all college football players in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.[2] He was named a College Football All-American in 1970.[3] Burns holds the school records for career carries, rushing yards, points, and touchdowns of the now defunct Long Beach State 49ers football program.[4]

Early life

Burns was born in 1942 and grew up on the west side of Oakland, California.[5] After graduating high school, he worked as a janitor, delivery boy, and construction worker. Before turning 19, Burns was involved in the robbery of a pawn shop and was sentenced to a prison term of which he served four years, although he maintained that his involvement was limited to giving the other two people involved a ride.[1][5]

College career

Burns was first noticed in 1965 by Don Kloppenburg, the football coach at Laney College, when he brought his team to San Quentin Prison to play a game against a team of inmates, one of whom was Burns.[6] After his release, Burns joined the Laney College football team and played there for two years.[1][5][6] He transferred to Long Beach State in time for the 1969 season.[1]

In 1969, Burns recorded the most rushing yards (1,659) and rushing touchdowns (26) of any college football player.[2] He also caught ten passes for 149 yards and a touchdown as the Long Beach State 49ers finished second in their conference with a record of eight wins and three losses.[7][8]

In the 1970 season, Burns did not have as much personal success due to early season ankle injuries, although he still gained over 1,000 rushing yards and scored 20 total touchdowns.[5][7] However, Long Beach State finished the regular season with nine wins and two losses, making them conference co-champions with San Diego State.[9] Since the 49ers had upset the Aztecs in a matchup on November 20, Long Beach State qualified for the 1970 Pasadena Bowl, where they played the Louisville Cardinals.[5][10] Burns ran for three touchdowns in the game, which ended in a 24-24 tie.[11]

In his two years at Long Beach State, Burns set school records for career carries, rushing yards, touchdowns, and points scored.[4][12] He was elected to the 1970 College Football All-America Team by Pro Football Weekly and the Newspaper Enterprise Association. He was one of three Long Beach State players named first-team All-American (along with Terry Metcalf and Billy Parks) and became one of two to be selected in the 1st round of the NFL draft (along with Dan Bunz).[3]

Professional career

1971

Burns was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the first round (13th overall) of the 1971 NFL Draft.[13] At 29 years of age, he was unusually old for a rookie.[1] During the 1971 season, Burns played in 14 games for the Chargers, starting four, and carried the ball 61 times for 223 yards and a touchdown, adding three receptions for 22 yards.[14]

1972

On January 31, 1972, a day before the 1972 NFL Draft, Burns was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for running back Cid Edwards.[15] In 1972 with the Cardinals, Burns ran for 69 yards and two touchdowns on 26 attempts and caught six passes for 24 yards.[14] This was his last season in the NFL.

1974

Burns was signed by the Portland Storm of the World Football League (WFL) in 1974.[16] He rushed for 193 yards on 51 carries.[17] This was the last year Burns played professionally.[1]

Personal life

While attending Long Beach State, Burns was a political science major and expressed a desire to become a lawyer.[1][5]

Burns married his wife, Diane, and had three children with her prior to being drafted into the NFL.[1][5]

In addition to football, Burns was interested in weightlifting.[1][12]

Death and legacy

Burns was shot to death in southeast Los Angeles on December 22, 1984.[1] His murder remains unsolved.[4][12]

In 1987, he was inducted into the Long Beach State Hall of Fame.[4]

See also

References
  1. "Leon Burns, who set rushing records at Cal State..." United Press International. December 26, 1984. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  2. "1969 Rushing Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  3. Wagner, Dick (12 December 1991). "Glory Years, Disappointments at CSULB". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  4. "Leon Burns (1987) - Hall of Fame". Long Beach State University Athletics. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  5. "Jail Term Fails to Hamper Burns". Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. December 15, 1970. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  6. Whisnand, Charles (August 26, 2019). "The Don: Those he coached honor former PC coach on his 85th birthday". Porterville Recorder. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  7. "Leon Burns College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  8. "1969 Pacific Coast Athletic Association Year Summary". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  9. "1970 Pacific Coast Athletic Association Year Summary". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  10. "San Diego stunned by Long Beach". (California): Lodi News-Sentinel. United Press International. September 21, 1970. p. 6. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  11. "PASADENA BOWL ENDS IN 24‐24 TIE". The New York Times. Associated Press. 20 December 1970. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  12. McLeod, Paul (27 February 1986). "Slain 49er Missing from Hall of Fame". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  13. "1971 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  14. "Leon Burns Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  15. Wallace, William N. (1 February 1972). "Chargers Make 3 Trades, Getting Cards' Edwards". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  16. "Pro Transactions". The New York Times. 28 August 1974. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  17. "1974 Portland Storm". World Football League. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
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