Edgar Chandler

Edgar Thomas Chandler, Jr. (August 31, 1946 – October 17, 1992) was an American Professional Football player who played linebacker for six seasons, for the Buffalo Bills in the American Football League and the NFL, and for the NFL New England Patriots. Chandler was a two-time All-American at the University of Georgia (1966 and 1967).

Biography
Edgar Thomas Chandler, Jr. (August 31, 1946 in Cedartown, Georgia) was a professional two-time All American football player. Chandler played linebacker 5 years for the Buffalo Bills, and 1 year for the New England Patriots. He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. A very short time after that Edgar Chandler would start the long battle to fight colon cancer. He died on October 17, 1992 breaking the heart of family, friends, and fans.

Early years
Edgar Chandler was raised in Cedartown, Georgia, by his mother Nova Chandler, and his father, Edgar Chandler Sr. Chandler Jr. would attend school in Cedartown, Georgia and was a great student as well as athlete. He strived in three sports during his high school days at Cedartown High school. Chandler was starter for the varsity basketball Bulldogs. He also competed in track and field, becoming a Georgia state high school shot put champion with a toss of 53 feet and 1 ½ inches. But Chandler first gained acclaim as an All American offensive lineman his senior year of 1963. He helped his future Georgia Sports Hall of Fame coach, Doc Ayers, and the Cedartown Bulldogs to their first state football championship. That championship sent Doc Ayers to coach for Vince Dooley at the University of Georgia, and he brought his high school all American Edgar Chandler with him. Edgar Chandler’s college career as an offensive tackle was and still is recognized as one of the greatest in the South Eastern Conference history. Chandler was an offensive right tackle for the University Of Georgia from 1964-1967. Edgar Chandler would end up accepting an invitation to three different bowl games in his senior year. The Liberty Bowl, the North South Bowl, and the Hula Bowl. He would be first team SEC in 1966, along with Doc Ayers, who was Edgar’s prep coach in Cedartown, and Vince Dooley, who was also in the Hall of Fame. The Bulldogs finished the 1966 year 10-1 overall with an undefeated 5-0 record versus the SEC. Chandler would help lead the Bulldogs to the 1967 Cotton Bowl Championship.

College years
Edgar Chandler’s college career as an offensive tackle was and still is recognized as one of the greatest in the South Eastern Conference history. Chandler was an offensive right tackle for the University Of Georgia from 1964-1967. Edgar Chandler would end up accepting an invitation to three different bowl games in his senior year. The Liberty Bowl, the North South Bowl, and the Hula Bowl. He would be first team SEC in 1966, along with Doc Ayers, who was Edgar’s prep coach in Cedartown, and Vince Dooley, who was also in the Hall of Fame. The Bulldogs finished the 1966 year 10-1 overall with an undefeated 5-0 record versus the SEC. Chandler would help lead the Bulldogs to the 1967 Cotton Bowl Championship.

Professional career
Chandler was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 4th round pick in the 1968 NFL/AFL common draft. He was converted into playing inside linebacker as a professional to take advantage of his speed and agility. Chandler played 1968-1972 for the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots in 1973. Before ending his football career he played his last year with the Birmingham Americans of the then World Football League where he helped them to win the World Championship. But Chandler’s biggest moment happened on November 1, 1970 during week 7 of the American Football Conference season. Chandler scored his one and only touchdown as a professional player. It came in the first quarter against the then Boston Patriots when he intercepted the ball and returned it 58 yards to the end zone. Chandler also played with NFL greats like (the Juice) O.J. Simpson, and the honorable congressman Jack Kemp. In 1974, he signed up with the Birmingham Americans of the upstart World Football League.

Life after and outside of football
In 1988 Edgar Chandler was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. He was also entered into the Cedartown Football stadium ring of fame. He went on to serve as director of relations for International Inc. He went on to be a successful business man with offices in Atlanta, Georgia, Reno, Nevada, and Columbia, South Carolina.

Other
Chandler's size and grace can be appreciated in an improptu Tonight Show appearance where he is picked out of the audience by guest host Don Rickles, with hilarious consequences.