Paul "Tank" Younger


Paul Lawrence "Tank" Younger was a fullback and linebacker in the National Football League from 1949 through 1958. He played college football for Grambling State University, was the first NFL player from a predominantly black college, and was the first African American to become an NFL front-office administrator.

College career

At Grambling, Younger started off as a tackle, but Coach Eddie Robinson soon recognized that Younger's skills better suited him to play in the offensive backfield and at linebacker. Younger earned the nickname "Tank" by deftly plowing over countless would-be tacklers. In 1945, as a freshman, Younger led the nation in scoring with 25 touchdowns. In his junior year, he rushed for 1,207 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. Younger also completed 43 of 73 pass attempts, 11 for touchdowns. When he graduated in 1948, his NCAA career total of 60 touchdowns was an all-time record. After his senior season, he was voted Black College Football's Player of the Year and named a member of the 1948 Pittsburgh Courier All-America team.

Professional career

by an NFL team, Younger signed with the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent and became the first NFL player from an HBCU. He was a member of the Rams renowned "Bull Elephant" backfield, and he is the sixth-leading rusher in Rams history with 3,296 yards.
In his ten-year professional career with the Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Younger was named to the Pro Bowl four times, rushed for 3640 yards on 770 carries, caught 100 passes for 1167 yards, scored 35 touchdowns, and intercepted three passes on defense. He was the first black player to play in an NFL All-Star Game and became the league's first black assistant general manager. In 2000, Younger was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Professional Football Researchers Association named Younger to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2007