| No. 52 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | April 14, 1950 Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died: | December 5, 2002 (aged 52) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Knoxville (TN) Fulton |
| College: | Tennessee |
| NFL draft: | 1972 / round: 6 / pick: 148 |
| Career history | |
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Jackie Eugene Walker (April 14, 1950 – December 5, 2002) was an American football linebacker who played for the University of Tennessee from 1969 to 1971. A two-time All-American, he was the first black captain of a Southeastern Conference squad. Walker shares the NCAA record for most interceptions returned for a touchdown, with five. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 1972 NFL draft, but was cut before the season.[1]
In the years following his death, Walker's supporters campaigned to have him inducted into local and national halls of fame, arguing he has been denied such recognition because he was gay.[2][3]
- ^ Betty Bean, "The Jackie Walker Story," Metro Pulse, November 22, 2007. Accessed at the Internet Archive, October 2, 2015.
- ^ Chris Wohlwend, "Long in the Shadows, A Player's Legacy Is Restored," New York Times, April 18, 2008. Retrieved: June 21, 2014.
- ^ Beth Rucker, "Honors Overdue for Gay Athlete," Knoxville News Sentinel, July 19, 2008. Republished in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.