Gene Washington (American football, born 1944)

Receptions:	182
Receiving yards:	3,237
Receiving touchdowns:	26
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Gene Washington
	Washington in 2018
No. 84
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	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
	Minnesota Vikings (1967–1972); Denver Broncos (1973);
Career highlights and awards
	NFL champion (1969); Second-team All-Pro (1969); 2× Pro Bowl (1969, 1970); 50 Greatest Vikings; 2× First-team All-American (1965, 1966); 2× First-team All-Big Ten (1965, 1966);
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:
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

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

Michigan State

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

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

Legend
	Won the NFL championship
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Receiving
Year	Team	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

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

External links

[1] Wallace, William N. "Vikings’ Defense vs. 49ers’ Offense," The New York Times, Wednesday, December 23, 1970. Retrieved September 7, 2023.

[PFA-2] "Gene Washington". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved September 23, 2023.

[SR-3] "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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v t e Minnesota Vikings 1969 NFL champions
11 Joe Kapp 14 Fred Cox 15 Gary Cuozzo 19 Bob Lee 20 Bobby Bryant 21 Jim Lindsey 22 Paul Krause 26 Clinton Jones 27 Bob Grim 29 Karl Kassulke 30 Bill Brown 32 Oscar Reed 35 Billy Harris 40 Charlie West 41 Dave Osborn 45 Ed Sharockman 46 Earsell Mackbee 49 Dale Hackbart 50 Jim Hargrove 52 Mike Reilly 53 Mick Tingelhoff 55 Mike McGill 58 Wally Hilgenberg 59 Lonnie Warwick 60 Roy Winston 62 Ed White 63 Jim Vellone 64 Milt Sunde 66 Bookie Bolin 67 Grady Alderman 70 Jim Marshall 71 Doug Davis 73 Ron Yary 74 Steve Smith 76 Paul Dickson 77 Gary Larsen 80 John Henderson 81 Carl Eller 84 Gene Washington 86 Tom Hall 88 Alan Page
Head coach: Bud Grant
Coaches: Jerry Burns Bob Hollway Bus Mertes John Michels Jack Patera