Arbanas was born and raised in Detroit. He played college football at Michigan State University. He played both offense and defense. His first-ever reception, as a sophomore in 1958, was for a touchdown against California. His biggest offensive game came during his junior season, 1959, when he caught four passes for 67 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown, in a win over Notre Dame. As a senior, he was known more for excelling on defense, but on offense, although he caught only three passes, two were for touchdowns. Just as his first reception was for a touchdown, so was his last in 1960, in the season finale against the Detroit Titans. Arbanas earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Michigan State.
Professional career
Arbanas was drafted by the American Football League's Dallas Texans in the seventh round of the 1961 AFL Draft and by the National Football League's St. Louis Cardinals in the second round overall in the 1961 NFL Draft. He signed with the Texans for the 1961 season, but he missed that season due to ruptured disks in his back. However, beginning the following year he would not miss a game for eight consecutive seasons. Arbanas was selected by his peers as The Sporting News' All-AFL tight end in 1963, 1964, and 1966. He was an American Football League Western Division All-Star in 1962, 1963, and 1964. His fourth season, 1964, was his most productive with 34 receptions for 686 yards and eight touchdowns — all career bests — as he was an AFL All-Star for the third time. However, 1964 also marked a turning point in his life when, in December, he was brutally attacked by two men on a Kansas City sidewalk. He lost sight in one eye in January 1965, causing him to miss the AFL All-Star game. He was again a Western All-Star in 1965, 1966, and 1967. Because of his perseverance, he was a driving force behind one of the greatest teams in the history of the AFL. Arbanas starred for two Chiefs Super Bowl teams and one World Championship team. He earned a Super Bowl ring when the Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings 23-7, in Super Bowl IV, the last-ever meeting between AFL-NFL rivals before the two leagues merged. Arbanas used the playing field to write a legacy for the AFL. "I remember when the Chiefs played the Chicago Bears the summer after the loss to Green Bay in the first Super Bowl", team owner Lamar Hunt said. "We won the pre-season game 66-24, but there was a lot at stake in that game. I heard Fred say that was his most memorable game, and I feel the same way." Arbanas retired from pro football after the 1970 season in which he appeared in six games for the Chiefs. Arbanas was the AFL's prototype tight end. His 198 receptions and 3,101 receiving yards were Chiefs records for a tight end until they were broken by Tony Gonzalez. His talents would eventually earn a spot on the All-time All-AFL Team. He was inducted into the Kansas City ChiefsHall of Honor in 1973. He was named to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
Personal life
During his career with the Chiefs, Arbanas held a full-time position with Fordyce Material and later with Kansas City Coca-Cola Bottling Company as Promotion Director. He is a member of the board of directors for North American Savings Bank. He is retired from Fred Arbanas, Inc. which was founded in 1970. He is a longtime Jackson County, Missouri legislator beginning in 1973 and four-time Chairman of the Legislature. In recognition of his many years of service to Jackson County, in 1999 the Longview Lake Golf Course was renamed Fred Arbanas Golf Course at Longview Lake. On January 22, 2013, Arbanas' legislative colleagues presented him with a 40-year service pin. In 1992, he ran in the Democratic primary against incumbent U.S. Congressman Alan Wheat, but Wheat won with 58.2 percent of the vote to Arbanas' 37.5 percent. Arbanas currently lives with his wife Sharon Arbanas in Lee's Summit, Missouri. He has four children and eight grandchildren. Fred serves on the Jackson County Legislature in Kansas City, Missouri, and began serving as Temporary County Executive on January 4, 2016. He has also had a golf course named after him. The Fred Arbanas Golf Course at Longview Lake is a favorite for many Kansas City golfers.
