By Darin Before he became “The Investigator”—one of the most dominant and feared safeties in NFL history—Kenny Easley established a legacy of excellence that spanned college football’s elite and the professional ranks. Born in Chesapeake, Virginia, his journey culminated in dual enshrinements at the highest levels of the sport.
Football Bio
January 15, 1959 – Chesapeake, Virginia – The ball-hawking UCLA Bruins safety, Kenny Easley, celebrates his day of birth. Kenny was a star player for the Bruins from 1977, when he arrived, until 1980. Per the NFF, Easley was an All-America three times, and in four years, he had 19 interceptions and 374 tackles. Kenny Easley found the doors of the College Football Hall of Fame open to him in 1991. The Seattle Seahawks used the fourth overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft to select Kenny, who played for the franchise for 7 seasons and made the Pro Bowl 5 times. He earned the AFC Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1983, setting a League high with 7 interceptions. He did one better the next year when he was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Kenny Easley in 2017.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Dominance
From the moment he stepped onto the field at UCLA, Kenny Easley demonstrated the rare blend of speed, instinct, and hitting power that defined his career. His consistent dominance across both the college and professional levels—highlighted by multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards and consecutive Hall of Fame inductions—cemented his status as one of the finest defensive backs ever to play the game.
Date 28 September 1986 via Wikimedia Commons
Verified Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- UCLA Bruins Safety (1977–1980)
- 3x All-America selection
- Recorded 19 Interceptions and 374 Tackles (UCLA)
- College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1991)
- Selected 4th overall in the 1981 NFL Draft (Seattle Seahawks)
- 5x NFL Pro Bowl selection
- 1983 AFC Defensive Player of the Year (7 interceptions)
- 1984 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee (2017)
