Jim Tyrer

James Efflo Tyrer (February 25, 1939 – September 15, 1980) was an American professional football offensive tackle widely regarded as one of the most dominant players of his era.^[1][2] He played 14 years of professional football (1961 - 1974) after an All-American college career for Ohio State University,^[3][4] competing in the American Football League (AFL) for the Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs and later in the National Football League (NFL): 13 years for Texans/Chiefs and his final year with the Washington Redskins. He was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a six-time first-team All-Pro.^[5] Standing 6'6" tall and weighing as much as 322 pounds during his career, Tyrer was known for his size, quick footwork, intelligence, and a notably large head, which he used to impose his will on opponents.^{[6][7][8][9][10]}

A cornerstone of the Chiefs' success, owner Lamar Hunt credited him for helping establish Kansas City as a major sports town.^[11] He was a Chiefs team captain four years (1967 - 1971) including the team's Super Bowl IV championship season.^[12] Tyrer is often referenced as "the greatest player not in the Hall of Fame," reflecting his lasting impact on the sport and much-debated omission from the Hall of Fame.^[13]

He played in a period when linemen were prohibited from using their hands for blocking, and defensive players were permitted to use the "head slap" technique—a practice later outlawed due to its brutality.^[14][15] Despite the physicality of the era and the demands of his position, Tyrer started 180 consecutive games, a then-record for the Chiefs, and every pre-season game (65) in his 13 years with the Texans/Chiefs franchise.^[16][17] His 180 starts surpasses all left tackles currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 15, 1980, to the shock of the sports world, Tyrer murdered his wife, Martha, and then died by suicide.^[18] Teammate and author Michael Oriard would later describe Tyrer in the book "The End of Autumn" as "the unlikeliest suicide-murderer to those who knew him."^[19]

Tyrer was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame at the time of the murder-suicide, his first year of eligibility. He did not advance in the selection process again for 44 years when research from Beneath the Shadow filmmaker Kevin Patrick Allen led to a tacit acknowledgement from the PFHOF senior committee that Tyrer likely suffered from brain trauma.^[20] On December 3, 2024, Tyrer reached the finalist stage for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025.^[21]