| No. 56 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Center | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1942-07-11)July 11, 1942 Jesup, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | December 15, 2021(2021-12-15) (aged 79) Jesup, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Jesup (Jesup, Georgia) | ||||||||
| College | Georgia (1960-1963) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1964: 9th round, 115th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Leonard Moore Hauss (July 11, 1942 – December 15, 2021) was an American professionalfootball player who was acenter in theNational Football League (NFL) for theWashington Redskins (now Washington Commanders) from1964 to1977. A five-timePro Bowl selection, he was named one of the70 Greatest Redskins. Hauss playedcollege football for theGeorgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Redskins in the ninth round of the1964 NFL draft.
Hauss was born on July 11, 1942, inJesup, Georgia to Leonard and Ida Hauss. Hauss attended Jesup High School (nowWayne County High School), where he playedhigh school football as afullback,lineman, andlinebacker. He overcame a knee injury to play three years on the varsity (1956-59). As a senior, he rushed for 1,500 yards and scored 15touchdowns, and led the team to the Georgia Class AA Championship. He was named to the All-Region, All-State, All-Southern and prep All-America teams.[1][2][3][4][5]
Hauss attended and playedcollege football at theUniversity of Georgia. While successful as a fullback in high school, he lacked the speed to star at that position in college, and he became a center and linebacker. Hauss suffered anACL injury as a sophomore, but through hard work and a demanding workout regimen he created for himself, he was able to return to play. He receivedAll-Southeastern Conference honors as a sophomore.[2][6]
Hauss was a member of theSigma Chi fraternity.[7]
Hauss wasdrafted in the ninth round (115th overall) of the1964 NFL draft.[8] He started his first game at center four games into the1964 season, replacingFred Hageman, a job he would not lose until retirement.[2][9][10] Hauss helped lead the Redskins to theSuper Bowl VII in 1972.[11] He started 192 consecutive games for the Redskins between 1964 and 1977.[2] He also started the seven post-season games in which he appeared.[1]
He was named to thePro Bowl five times, in 1966, 1968–1970, and 1972.[9] He was named second-team All-Pro by theAssociated Press (AP) andUnited Press International (UPI) in 1974 and 1975, as well as first-team All-Conference by the AP andThe Sporting News in those years.[12][13] In 1978, he was replaced byBob Kuziel.[14]
He was close with teammate quarterbacksSonny Jurgenson andBilly Kilmer.[6] His coaches included Hall of FamersVince Lombardi andGeorge Allen.[15][16][17][18]
He is a member of the Washington Commanders Ring of Fame.[19] In 2002, he was named among Washington's 70 greatest players in franchise history, and in 2012 was named among the 80 greatest.[20] He is a member of theGeorgia Sports Hall of Fame (1981) and the Wayne County Sports Hall of Fame.[5][21]
After retiring from the NFL, Hauss entered the financial services industry, and had a 30-year banking career.[22][5]
Hauss died on December 15, 2021, at the age of 79.[23] He was survived by his wife of 59 years, Janis (Johnson) Hauss with whom he went to high school, and their daughter and grandchildren.[4][5]