Gary Burley

Gary Burley

Burley in 2011
No. 67, 73
Position:	Defensive end
Personal information
Born:	(1952-12-08) December 8, 1952 (age 72) Urbancrest, Ohio, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	272 lb (123 kg)
Career information
High school:	Grove City (Grove City, Ohio)
College:	Pittsburgh
NFL draft:	1976 / round: 3 / pick: 55
Career history
Cincinnati Bengals (1976–1983) Atlanta Falcons (1984)
Career highlights and awards
PFWA All-Rookie Team (1976) First-team All-American (1974) First-team All-East (1974)
Career NFL statistics
Sacks: 37 Safeties: 1 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Gary Steven Burley (born December 8, 1952) is an American former professional football player who played as a defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL).

He played for the Bengals from 1976 to 1983,[1] and the Atlanta Falcons in 1984.[1]

Early life

Gary Burley graduated from Grove City High School in Grove City, Ohio, near Columbus, in 1971.[2]

College career

After high school, Burley played football in 1971 and 1972 at Wharton County Junior College in Wharton, Texas.[3] Burley was offered a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh,[4] where he was named a first-team All-American in 1974.[5]

Professional career

Burley was selected by the Bengals in the third round (55th overall) of the 1975 NFL draft. He was named to the 1976 NFL All-Rookie Team. He played in Super Bowl XVI in 1982, with the Bengals losing 26–21 to the San Francisco 49ers. In 8 seasons with Cincinnati, he played in 117 games, started 67, including all but 3 games his first 4 seasons.[6]

His 9th and final NFL season was with the Atlanta Falcons, playing 12 games, starting 8.[6]

After football

In 2006, Burley founded the Pro Start Academy, a Birmingham, Alabama-based organization that "mentors young athletes and provides tips on how they can achieve success on and off the football field".[7]

Personal life

Between 2011 and 2015, Burley survived several life-threatening ailments including cancer, a bone marrow transplant, a bout of salmonella poisoning in his knee that put him in a wheelchair for six months,[7] and the loss of a kidney.[8] After 3 years of dialysis he received a kidney transplant and became an advocate for organ donations.[9]

His wife is Bobbie Knight, a longtime Alabama Power executive and the president of Miles College.[10][11] They reside in Birmingham, Alabama.[12]

He hosts the Gary Burley Charity Golf Tournament at Greystone Country Club to benefit cancer research.[12]

References

1. "Gary Burley Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
2. Messenger, Southwest (February 18, 2016). "Super Bowl Honor Roll". Retrieved October 27, 2023.
3. "Corsicana Daily Sun 15 Oct 1971, page Page 9". Newspapers.com. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
4. "The Pittsburgh Press 19 Sep 1973, page Page 57". Newspapers.com. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
5. "113124 Football Media Guide 2021 (PDF)" (PDF). pittsburghpanthers.com. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
6. "Gary Burley Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
7. Williams, Roy L. (July 10, 2015). "Gary Burley of Pro Start Academy shares his story at Aldridge Gardens". HooverSun.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
8. Johnson, Roy S. (January 9, 2016). "Ex-Bengal talks Steelers, McCarron, 'Concussion'". al. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
9. Gooden, Ashley (May 12, 2019). "City of Birmingham employee gives new life to former NFL player". WBMA. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
10. Williams, Roy L. (July 10, 2015). "Gary Burley of Pro Start Academy shares his story at Aldridge Gardens". HooverSun.com. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
11. Beahm, Anna (March 6, 2020). "Bobbie Knight named permanent president of Miles College". al. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
12. Times, Birmingham (October 20, 2016). "Cancer survivor Gary Burley: 'Early detection is the key'". Retrieved October 27, 2023.