Ken Houston Kenneth Ray Houston ( born November 12 , 1944 in Lufkin , Texas ) is a former American football defensive back in the American Football League and National Football League . He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986 . Houston played for the AFL ' s Houston Oilers from 1967 through 1969 , and after the AFL - NFL merger , with the Oilers from 1970 through 1972 , then with the Washington Redskins until 1980 . Early life . Houston was born in Lufkin , Texas and was the third of four children . His father , Herod , owned a dry cleaning business . Houston attended Dunbar High School where he played basketball and football . College career . Only one school that recruited Houston after high school was Prairie A & M College ( now Prairie View A & M University ) . Bishop College initially offered him a scholarship , but then withdrew it ( the school had yet to be desegregated ) . Houston attended and played college football at Prairie View A & M College ( Prairie View A & M University ] . For a short time he was a center , and then became the starting linebacker and was selected All - America n in the Southwestern Athletic Conference . Houston also ran track , and was on the swim team during the four years he was at Prairie State . Professional career . Houston was an all - league free safety player for twelve consecutive years : an American Football League All - Star in 1968 and 1969 , and then in the AFC - NFC Pro Bowl from 1970 through 1979 . He was selected All - Pro three times . In 1999 , he was ranked number 61 on " The Sporting News " ' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players . Throughout his career he had an extraordinary ability to know where the ball was going . Houston intercepted 49 passes , recovered 21 fumbles , gained 1 , 498 return yards ( on interception , fumble , blocked field goal , kickoff , and punt returns ) , and scored 12 touchdowns . Ken is a member of the 1986 class of the Hall of Fame . Houston Oilers . Houston was drafted in the ninth round of the 1967 AFL - NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers of the American Football League . He became a starter by the third game of his rookie season . Two weeks later , in a game against the New York Jets , he scored two touchdowns , one on a blocked field goal attempt , and the other on a interception return . In 1971 he set an NFL record with five touchdown returns ( four interceptions and one fumble ) . This would stand until surpassed by Devin Hester ' s six return touchdowns in the 2006 season . Washington Redskins . After six years with the Oilers , Houston was traded to the Washington Redskins for five veteran players in 1973 . Included in the trade were offensive lineman Jim Snowden , tight end Mack Alston , wide receiver Clifton McNeil , defensive end Mike Fanucci , and defensive back Jeff Severson . While with the Redskins , Houston went to seven straight Pro Bowls . Coaching career . After his retirement in 1980 , Houston served as a head football coach for Wheatley High School and Westbury High School in Houston , Texas . From 1982 to 1985 , he was the defensive backfield coach for the Houston Oilers and from 1986 to 1990 he was the defensive backfield coach for the University of Houston . After football . Since 1990 , Houston has served as a guidance counselor for children in hospitals and who are home bound or have been placed in child care agencies by the State of Texas . He does this work for the Houston Independent School District . Personal . Houston has a wife , Gustie , a daughter , Kene ; and a son , Kenneth Christian .