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Curtis McClinton

Professional football player. Born: June 25, 1939.

Curtis McClinton was born June 25, 1939, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He moved to Wichita in the early 1940s and later attended Wichita High School North. He played football at the University of Kansas and led the team in rushing in 1959. During his college career he rushed for 1,377 yards and was a three-time All Big Eight selection. In 1960 he was selected in the 10th round of the NFL draft but chose to return to college for his senior season. He helped Kansas earn a trip to the Bluebonnet Bowl in 1961 and scored KU’s third touchdown of the game, a win against Rice University. While at KU McClinton also ran track and won the Big Eight championship in hurdles all three years he competed. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1962. In the 14th round of the 1961 AFL draft McClinton was selected by the Dallas Texans (predecessors to the Kansas City Chiefs.) In his first year with the Texans he rushed for 604 yards and caught 29 passes for 333 yards, earning him the American Football League Rookie of the Year in 1962. He was a member of all three of the franchise’s AFL title clubs and both Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl teams. He wore number 32 for the Chiefs and is a member of the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame. After his football career McClinton became a registered banker and graduated from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He served as Deputy Mayor for Economic Development in Washington, D.C., and currently owns McClinton Development Company, a construction contracting business in Kansas City.

Entry: McClinton, Curtis

Author: Kansas Historical Society

Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.

Date Created: March 2013

Date Modified: March 2013

The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.