Garland Boyette

Garland Dean Boyette (March 22, 1940 – April 19, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played for the Houston Oilers and St. Louis Cardinals from 1962 to 1972. He also played for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL), as well as the Houston Texans/Shreveport Steamer of the World Football League (WFL). In 1967, he was the regular starting middle linebacker for the Oilers and joined Willie Lanier of the Kansas City Chiefs as the first African-Americans to start that position in professional football. Early life Boyette was born in Rayville, Louisiana, on March 22, 1940. He attended Wallace High School in Orange, Texas, graduating in 1958. He initially studied at Northwestern University, but left after the first semester and ultimately transferred to study biology at Grambling State University on the recommendation of his nephew, Ernie Ladd. Boyette was in the starting lineup for the Grambling State Tigers during his sophomore year, playing as a guard and defensive tackle and later receiving All-American honors at those positions. Together with Ladd, Jerry Robinson, and Roosevelt Taylor, he helped the Tigers finish 9–1 during the 1960 season, with the team recording three shutouts and scoring over 60 points on three occasions. The school went on to win its first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship that year. Boyette was also a track and field athlete who was selected as an All-American three times. He competed in the 1960 United States Olympic trials and narrowly missed qualifying for decathlon. He identified the pole vault and long-distance running as the most challenging events for him, stating he "never felt safe on that aluminum pole". Upon graduating in 1962, Boyette was left undrafted in that year's NFL Draft. He eventually signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and changed positions to middle linebacker, learning the role over the summer of 1962. Career Boyette made his NFL debut with the Cardinals in 1962, and played in 14 games (6 starts) during his first season. He was recognized as the first African-American to start at middle linebacker in professional football, together with Willie Lanier (who made his NFL debut in 1967), and later recounted receiving hate mail as a result.