Today marks the 38th anniversary of the passing of Chiefs All-Pro running back Joe Delaney. It’s a story that’s told every year and remains a testament to an act of instant courage that very few have within.
At just 24 years old and only two seasons under his belt as the premiere running back for the Chiefs, Delaney paid the ultimate sacrifice on June 29, 1983, in his hometown of Monroe, Louisiana. During the off-season that year, Delaney was at Chennault Park when he heard the troubling sound of three young boys who were drowning in a nearby lake.
Delaney, who couldn’t swim, didn’t hesitate from jumping into the water to save the young children. Although he heroically saved one of the three kids, Delaney perished with the other two that day.
That kind of selflessness and bravery displayed by Delaney that fateful Wednesday afternoon will never be forgotten. On Saturday, June 26, 2021, a monument to commemorate his courage and sacrifice was revealed close to the pond where Delaney drowned.
According to the Monroe News-Star, the monument was funded by various contributors, including Marvin Dearman, a police officer who arrived first on the scene at the time of Delaney’s passing, Since then, Dearman has been an advocate for celebrating Delaney’s life and was the man behind the push that made the monument possible.
The monument reads: “Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for another.
Joe Delaney died on June 29, 1983, while attempting to rescue three children from drowning. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal from U.S. President Ronald W. Reagan. He made the ultimate sacrifice by placing the lives of three children above the regard for his own safety. By the supreme example of courage and compassion, this brilliantly gifted young man left a spiritual legacy for all fellow Americans.”
From 1977-1979, Delaney was a stud at Northwestern, rushing for 1,937 yards and 17 TDs and reeling in 43 passes for 369 receiving yards and two scores. In 1981, he was drafted by a Kansas City Chiefs franchise that struggled to produce a 1,000 rusher at the time.
Delaney rushed for 1,121 yards and three TDs on 234 carries and caught 22 passes for 246 yards to earn his first bid to the Pro Bowl during his rookie season. The following year, Delaney’s production dipped due to a shortened 1982 season, per result of the NFL players’ strike. In nine games, Delaney finished with 380 yards on 95 carries and 11 receptions for 53 yards.
While Joe Delaney’s No. 37 jerseys aren’t officially retired by the Chiefs, his name is included in the team’s Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor. To this day, no Chiefs player has worn 37 since Delaney’s passing.
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