Joe Lavender

Joseph "Joe" Lavender (born February 10, 1949 in Rayville, Louisiana) is a former American football cornerback who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973–1975, and the Washington Redskins from 1976–1982. He was drafted by the Eagles in the twelfth round of the 1973 NFL Draft. He played college football at San Diego State.

Professional career
In his first year as a Redskin (1976), he replaced Mike Bass as the starting cornerback opposite the other cornerback, Pat Fischer and had 6 interceptions. He also had impressive interception totals in 1979 and 1980 with 6 each. But in 1982, Lavender was replaced as a starter by a rookie, Vernon Dean, though he remained on the team as a backup, the year the Redskins won Super Bowl XVII, his final one in the NFL.

After Football
In 1986, Joe was arrested in El Cajon for carrying an illegal knife.