Keith Payson Lincoln (May 8, 1939 – July 27, 2019) was an American professionalfootball player who was ahalfback for eight seasons in theAmerican Football League (AFL), primarily with theSan Diego Chargers. He playedcollege football for theWashington State Cougars. Lincoln was a two-timeAll-AFL selection and a five-timeAFL All-Star. A member of theChargers Hall of Fame, he won anAFL championship with the Chargers in 1963, when he was named the most valuable player (MVP) ofthe championship game. He had a stint with theBuffalo Bills before returning to San Diego and finishing his career.

Born inReading, Michigan, on May 8, 1939,^[1] Lincoln graduated in 1957 fromMonrovia High School inMonrovia, California, inLos Angeles County. He playedcollege football atWashington State University (WSU) inPullman, Washington.^[2][3] Originally aquarterback on theCougars' freshman team,^[4] he was moved tohalfback and was also the team'spunter.^[5][6][7] He was nicknamed the "Moose of thePalouse",^[8] given to him by a sportswriter fromSpokane.^[2]

Lincoln was inducted into the WSU Athletic Hall of Famein 1979.^[9] and theState of Washington Sports Hall of Fame in 1980.^[10] In 1995, he was named to Washington State's all-time team by a panel of experts commissioned byThe Spokesman-Review to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the school's football program.^[11]

Lincoln began his career with theSan Diego Chargers, who selected him in the1961 AFL draft, choosing them over theChicago Bears of the more establishedNFL.^[12][13] As a rookie in1961, he had a 91-yardreception for atouchdown, the longest catch in the AFL that year. His 86- and 76-yard touchdownruns in1962 and1963, respectively, were the league's longest run in those seasons. His 103-yardkickoff return for a touchdown in 1963 was the AFL's longest that year, and is tied for the Chargers team record withDarren Sproles (2008).^[14][15]

In the1963 AFL championship game, Lincoln was voted the game MVP after the Chargers routed theBoston Patriots 51–10.^[16] It remains the only league title in the franchise's history,^[17] as well as the city ofSan Diego's only championship in amajor sports league.^[18] In the game, Lincoln carried the ball 13 times for 206 yards and had seven catches for 123 yards, compiling an AFL-record 329 yards from scrimmage; he alsopassed for 20 yards.^[18][19] The record stood for both AFL and NFL players until 1971, whenKansas City Chiefs running backEd Podolak gained 350 in a double-overtime playoff game against theMiami Dolphins.^[17][20] Lincoln's 206 yards rushing remained an NFL playoff record for 22 years, whenEric Dickerson of theLos Angeles Rams gained 248 against theDallas Cowboys in 1985.^[21]

In the1964 AFL Championship Game, in a play which came to be known as the "Hit Heard 'Round the World", Lincoln was the recipient of a particularly hard tackle fromBuffalo Bills linebackerMike Stratton which broke one of his ribs and forced him out of the game midway through the first quarter.^[22]

Lincoln was traded to theBuffalo Bills in1967.^[23] He was productive that season, but waswaived toward the end of the 1968 season before returning to San Diego and playing one game.^[17] Over his eight-year career, Lincoln rushed for 3,383 yards and 19 touchdowns and had 165 receptions for 2,250 yards and 19 touchdowns.^[17][24] He was a two-timeAll-AFL selection (1963, 1964)^[25][26] and a five-timeAFL All-Star (1962–1965, 1967), twice being named the game's MVP (1963, 1964).^[20] He was inducted into theChargers Hall of Fame in 1980,^[27] and was also named totheir 40th and50th anniversary teams.^[28][29]

After retiring as a player, Lincoln was a college assistant coach for theIdaho Vandals in1970 under first-year head coachDon Robbins.^[30] He became an assistant coach at his alma mater WSU in1971 under fourth-year head coachJim Sweeney,^[31] and later became the school's long-time director ofalumni relations.^[2][32][33]

Lincoln was married to Bonnie Jo Lincoln (née McKarcher). They had two sons, Lance and Keith (nicknamed "Kip").^[17]

Lincoln died at age 80 ofcongestive heart failure at Pullman Regional Hospital on July 27, 2019.^[17]

• List of American Football League players

• Career statistics fromNFL.com · Pro Football Reference · 
• Washington State University Athletics Hall of Fame – Keith Lincoln
• State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame – Keith Lincoln
• Obituary fromLewiston Tribune
• Keith Lincoln atFind a Grave

• 1939 births
• 2019 deaths
• American football halfbacks
• Buffalo Bills players
• Idaho Vandals football coaches
• San Diego Chargers players
• Washington State Cougars football coaches
• Washington State Cougars football players
• American Football League All-Star players
• People from Hillsdale County, Michigan
• Players of American football from Michigan
• American Football League players

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