Remembering Legendary Bruin Kenny Easley
One of UCLA's all-time greats passed away yesterday at age 66.
Bruin legend Kenny Easley passed away yesterday at age of 66.
A native of Chesapeake, Virginia, Easley came to UCLA in 1977 and he immediately entered the starting lineup for UCLA head coach Terry Donahue as a true freshman. That season, he was named to the All-Pac-10 first team, and he became the first player ever to earn four first team All-Conference selections.
A total ballhawk, Easley still holds the UCLA record for most career interceptions with 19 picks. He finished ninth in voting for the Heisman Trophy at a time when no defender had ever won college football’s highest honor.
Easley was drafted fourth overall in the 1981 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks behind Heisman winner George Rogers, Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, and Bruin teammate Freeman McNeil and four spots ahead of Trojan cornerback Ronnie Lott.
Easley was known as the Enforcer due to his physical play and his punishing hits.
He was inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame and the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1991. In 2017, Easley was inducted into both the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. Easley is one of just ten Bruins to have their number retired by UCLA. The Seahawks also retired his number 45.
Easley also played JV basketball for the Bruins and was even drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the tenth round of the 1981 NBA Draft.
His NFL career was cut short when he was diagnosed with kidney disease which was the result of using too much Advil to help reduce the swelling of an ankle injury. He sued the Seashawks over it and the case was settled out of court.
When Paul Allen became the Seahawks owner, he decided that no other Seahawk would be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor until Easley had been. As a result, Easley reconciled with the Seahawks organization, which had turned its back on him following the lawsuit.
Easley ranks fifth on UCLA’s all-time tackles list with 374. His 93 tackles in 1977 remain the most by a Bruin true freshman. As a senior, Easley made 105 tackles and led the team to a second-place finish in the Pac-10 and a Mirage Bowl victory over Oregon State in Tokyo.
Easley is survived by his wife Gail, son Kendrick and daughters Gabrielle Manhertz and Giordanna Easley.
Go Bruins.
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RIP, Kenny. you are part of my Bruin memories.
One of the all time best safeties. As fast as a corner, as strong as a linebacker.