Joe Delaney Joe Alton Delaney ( ; October 30 , 1958 – June 29 , 1983 ) was an American football running back who played two seasons in the National Football League ( NFL ) . In his two seasons with the Chiefs , Delaney set four franchise records that would stand for over 20 years . He was a two - time All - American athlete for the Northwestern State Demons football team , as well as a track and field star . Delaney played two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs , and was chosen as the AFC Rookie of the Year in 1981 by United Press International . Delaney died on June 29 , 1983 while attempting to rescue three children from drowning in a lake . He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizen ' s Medal from President Ronald Reagan . While not officially retired , his jersey number while playing for the Chiefs , # 37 , has not been worn since his death . Early life . The third of Woodrow and Eunice Delaney ' s eight children , Joe Delaney was born in Henderson , Texas on October 30 , 1958 , and attended Haughton High School in Louisiana . Discouraged by his father from pursuing his dreams of playing football , Delaney became the starting wide receiver by his junior year at Haughton . Major Division I schools that scouted him included Grambling State , Texas , Oklahoma and Louisiana State . Delaney played for Division I - AA ' s Northwestern State Demons from 1977 to 1980 . After telling his coach of his willingness to play football at the collegiate level , Delaney switched to the running back position . He went on to be an All - American selection in 1979 and 1980 . While at Northwestern State , Delaney met his future wife , Carolyn , and they had two children by his senior year . On October 28 , 1978 , Delaney carried the ball 28 times and gained 299 yards for Northwestern State against Nicholls State University with 263 of the yards coming in the game ' s second half . Delaney ' s rushing stats in the second half of the game are an NCAA record . In the same game , he scored four touchdowns , one of which was on a 90 - yard run , as he led his team to a 28 – 18 victory . Delaney finished his career at Northwestern State with 3 , 047 yards rushing , 31 touchdowns , and 188 points . In 1980 , his senior season , he was ranked eighth in the nation in all - purpose rushing yards . On November 22 , 1980 he played his last game at Northwestern State and the school retired his jersey , number 44 , at halftime . Delaney was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997 . At Northwestern State , Delaney also starred in track . In high school , he ran the 100 yard dash in 9 . 4 seconds in high school and was on the Northwestern State track and field team , which won the NCAA 400 - meter relay in 1981 . He holds the school 200 meter dash record with a time of 20 . 64 seconds . Professional career . Delaney was selected in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs . United Press International named him Rookie of the Year of the American Football Conference for the 1981 NFL season after he rushed for 1 , 121 yards , set four club records , and averaged 80 . 9 yards a game . Delaney ' s effort helped propel the Chiefs to a 9 – 7 record , the team ' s first winning season since 1973 . In his rookie season , he was selected to the Pro Bowl after setting Chiefs records for most yards in a season ( 1 , 121 ) , most yards in a game ( 193 vs . Houston ) , most consecutive 100 - yard - plus games ( three ) and most 100 - yard games in a season ( five ) . After coming off the bench to record 101 rushing yards in his initial NFL action at New England , he ran for 106 yards and registered 104 receiving yards in his first professional start against Oakland . In the Chiefs ' October 18 , 1981 game against the Denver Broncos , Delaney broke loose for a 75 - yard touchdown run , but an offside penalty caused the play to be restarted from five yards back . On the second play after the penalty , Delaney scored an 82 - yard touchdown , the longest rushing play from scrimmage in the 1981 NFL season . Following Delaney ' s record - setting 196 yard rushing performance against the Houston Oilers on November 15 , 1981 , Oilers defensive end ( and future Pro Football Hall of Fame r ) Elvin Bethea was quoted in saying : A strike by NFL players and an eye injury limited Delaney ’ s playing time in the 1982 NFL season . He underwent surgery to repair a detached retina , and only registered 380 rushing yards in the eight - game shortened season , which the Chiefs finished with a 3 – 6 record . Delaney averaged 4 . 6 yards per carry , 9 . 1 yards per reception , and registered 1 , 811 all - purpose yards during his career with three touchdowns . Death and legacy . Delaney had a lifelong history of helping others , and once paid for the funeral of a former teacher whose family could not afford a proper service . On June 29 , 1983 , Delaney , who was living in nearby Ruston , Louisiana , went with friends to Critter ' s Creek , an amusement park at Chennault Park in Monroe , Louisiana . While reportedly discouraging swimming children from venturing too far out in a pond , Delaney dove in to save three children who were screaming for help , floundering in a water hole left by recent construction work . The water hole , which covered two acres and was 20 feet deep , was not intended for swimming but to add to the park ' s aesthetics . Despite his inexperienced swimming , Delaney tried to rescue the children : One child managed to get out of the water with no harm and another was taken to an emergency room where he later died ; police recovered the body of Delaney and one child . The amusement park has since been closed to the public . Three thousand people attended Delaney ' s burial and memorial service on July 4 which was held in Haughton High School ' s sweltering gym nasium . President Ronald Reagan honored Delaney with the Presidential Citizens Medal on July 15 , and it was presented to Delaney ' s family by Vice President George H . W . Bush . Reagan ' s words were : For the 1983 NFL season , the Chiefs honored Delaney by wearing a circular patch bearing a gold eagle and the number 37 on the upper - left chest of their uniforms . Haughton High School also made a park , Joe Delaney Park , in his memory . The NCAA posthumously awarded Delaney the NCAA Award of Valor in 1984 . Louisiana Governor Dave Treen presented the Louisiana State Civilian Bravery Award to Delaney ' s family following his death . Delaney ' s heroism is honored through an award for one of the NFL ' s best running backs who also demonstrates admirable character and unselfishness , traits that were embodied by Delaney . The award is given annually by ProFootballTalk . com . Northwestern State ’ s football permanent team captains award , the Joe Delaney Memorial Leadership award , is named in his honor , as is the annual spring football game ( " Delaney Bowl " ) and a golf tournament that generates support for the athletic program . A permanent shrine honoring him sits under the home stands at Northwestern State ' s Turpin Stadium and his number 44 jersey hangs in the football offices . In Virginia , the Delaney Athletic Conference took its name to honor his memory in the fall of 1983 , and today 13 Virginia private high schools comprise the DAC . A group of Chiefs fans in Kansas City formed the " 37Forever Foundation , " which works with the American Red Cross to provide swimming lessons for underprivileged children . The Kansas City Chiefs unofficially retired Delaney ' s jersey number 37 following his death , and he was elected to the team ' s Hall of Fame in 2004 . His name is included in the Chiefs ' ring of honor at Arrowhead Stadium .