| No. 26, 42 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Running back |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1948-07-24)July 24, 1948 Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | December 6, 2015(2015-12-06) (aged 67) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kansas State |
| NFL draft | 1970: 6th round, 143rd overall pick |
| Career history | |
| 1970–1972 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL) |
| 1973–1975 | New England Patriots |
| 1975 | Atlanta Falcons |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Stats atPro Football Reference  | |
Mack Willie Herron (July 24, 1948 – December 6, 2015) was an American professionalfootball player who was arunning back in theCanadian Football League (CFL) andNational Football League (NFL) from 1970 to 1975. He playedcollege football for theKansas State Wildcats, finishing second in the nation in scoring during hissenior season in 1969.[1]
Standing 5 feet5+1⁄2 inches (1.66 metres) and weighing in at 170 pounds (77.1 kg), Herron was selected by theAtlanta Falcons in the sixth round (143rd overall) of the1970 NFL draft,[2] but joined theCanadian Football League out of college.[citation needed]
In 1972, while playing for theWinnipeg Blue Bombers, he won theEddie James Memorial Trophy for being the leading rusher in the CFL'sWest Division. He led the league inall-purpose yards in both of his CFL seasons.[citation needed] The Blue Bombers released him as a result of a drug arrest in May 1972.[3]
Herron moved to the NFL in 1973, when he joined theNew England Patriots. He later played for theAtlanta Falcons. In three seasons, he gained 1,298 rushing yards and scored 9 rushing touchdowns.[4] He also caught 61 passes in his career for 789 yards and 6 touchdowns.[5]
After leading the NFL in kickoff returns and kickoff return yardage in 1973, Herron's best season was 1974 with the Patriots, when he set the then-NFL record[6] forall-purpose yards with 2,444.[7][8] The Patriots released him midway through the following season, with coachChuck Fairbanks claiming the release was the result of disappointment with Herron's performance that season and with a late night party Herron threw for teammateLeon Gray.[9] He was then signed by the Falcons.[9] He remains 16th all time in career punt return average and 86th in kickoff return average. In 2009, he was named by the Patriots Hall of Fame nomination committee to the Patriots All-Decade Team for the 1970s as a kick returner.[10]
Herron, a devout Muslim who did not drink or smoke, was arrested some 20 times and served jail time, mainly on drug convictions, according to Chicago Police.[3] He died on December 6, 2015, at the age of 67.[11]