Tag: Chiefs

Across all sports, every new class in their respective Hall of Fame brings about spirited debate. This year for the Pro Football Hall of Fame is no different. 

But for one finalist, the circumstances surrounding his place in Canton are more than just a case of championships and stats. His place in the Hall of Fame will likely come down to a tragic case of a murder-suicide. 

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There are five total finalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame senior class, including a coach and a contributor. The players up for vote are Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer. 

Of the three, the biggest questions surround Tyrer.

Who is Jim Tyrer?

Born in Newark, Ohio, on Feb. 25, 1939, Jim Tyrer is largely considered one of the most dominant offensive tackles of his era. 

After playing football at Ohio State, where he was an All-America choice, Tyrer began his 14-year playing career with the Dallas Texans of the American Football League in 1961. His sheer size and strength at left tackle translated to early success on the field, which carried over with the team’s move to Kansas City and the eventual merger with the NFL.

Tyrer was a three-time AFL champion and nine-time AFL All-Star, and he helped the Chiefs win the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 1970. He was a starter in each of his 13 seasons with Chiefs, playing in 180 consecutive games for the third-longest streak in team history. 

Tyrer was selected as a member of the AFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s and is in the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame. He played his final season for Washington in 1974. 

It’s no doubt that Tyrer’s career is worthy of consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but the tragic events that took place on Sept. 15, 1980, have kept his name off the ballot for more than 40 years. 

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Tyrer’s death

Offensive lineman Jim Tyrer of the Kansas City Chiefs on the sidelines during a game on Sept. 28, 1970, against the Colts at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. (Diamond Images/Getty Images)

Tyrer was a finalist for the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility and was largely expected to be selected. But in the fall of 1980, that would change. 

According to KCTV’s reporting at the time, Tyrer shot his wife, Martha, dead just after 4 a.m. in the bedroom of their home while their four children slept before eventually taking his own life. He was 41 and Martha was 40. 

While those closest to the family, including teammates, were shocked by the news, reports would soon surface that there were issues. 

ESPN reporter Mark Fainaru-Wada told NPR last week that Tyrer had struggled to find work after his playing career had ended and that the family was experiencing financial struggles. There were also rumors that Tyrer had been dealing with “depression” and “paranoia.” 

But in the nearly 45 years that have passed and with the development of science with regard to the long-term effects of playing in contact sports, many argue that Tyrer likely suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).  

Dr. Doug Paone, who treated Tyrer days before the murder-suicide, told the Kansas City Star’s Vahe Gregorian in December that he is confident that Tyrer had CTE. 

“If it walks like a duck, it quacks, it has webbed feet and water goes off its back, it’s not a zebra: It’s CTE,” he said. “(Tyrer) would be the poster child for CTE.”

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What the voters say

Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jim Tyrer on the sidelines of a game on Oct. 2, 1971. (Denver Post via Getty Images)

At least three of the five senior finalists will be elected to the Pro Football Hall. They will need 80% of the votes from the Selection Committee, who will be allowed to vote for three finalists. If none receive that percentage, then the sole finalist with the most votes will be inducted into the 2025 class.  

For Tyrer, the voters appear divided. ESPN spoke to some last month when Tyrer was named a finalist. 

“It’s morally abhorrent and unacceptable to put a murderer in the Hall of Fame if you have the power to do otherwise,” longtime voter Jason Cole told the outlet, adding that he has “incredible compassion for the family.”

Cole noted that considering CTE would be “opening up a giant can of worms.”

Opposite of that, Gregorian told ESPN that CTE could be used to explain the tragedy that led to Tyrer and his wife’s untimely death. 

“I think when you see that this is a man, who had for decades lived a life that was admired by many, that this change in him was caused by [CTE],” Gregorian said, “… I think to me, it says this was because of severe brain damage, not being of a willful act by this person. I don’t know, that makes me look at it differently.”

The bylaws of the selection process instruct voters not to consider any off-the-field contributions – good or bad – in their decision-making. The class of 2025 will be announced next Thursday at the NFL Honors in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX. 

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