This article is about the American football defensive back. For the NHL hockey defenseman named Ken Houston, see Ken Houston (ice hockey). For the Irish rugby player, see Kenneth Houston.
Houston was born in Lufkin, Texas and was the third of four children. His father, Herod, owned a dry cleaning business.[1] Houston attended Dunbar High School where he played basketball and football.[1]
College career[]
Only one school that recruited Houston after high school was Prairie A&M College (now Prairie View A&M University).[1]Bishop College initially offered him a scholarship, but then withdrew it (the school had yet to be desegregated).[1]
Houston also ran track, and was on the swim team during the four years he was at Prairie State.[1]
Professional career[]
Houston was an all-league free safety player for twelve consecutive years: an American Football League All-Star in 1968 and 1969, and then in the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl from 1970 through 1979.[2] He was selected All-Pro three times. In 1999, he was ranked number 61 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.[3]
Throughout his career he had an extraordinary ability to know where the ball was going. Houston intercepted 49 passes, recovered 21 fumbles, gained 1,498 return yards (on interception, fumble, blocked field goal, kickoff, and punt returns), and scored 12 touchdowns. Ken is a member of the 1986 class of the Hall of Fame.[2]
In 1971 he set an NFL record with five touchdown returns (four interceptions and one fumble). This would stand until surpassed by Devin Hester's six return touchdowns in the 2006 season.[4]
After his retirement in 1980, Houston served as a head football coach for Wheatley High School and Westbury High School in Houston, Texas.[1] From 1982 to 1985, he was the defensive backfield coach for the Houston Oilers and from 1986 to 1990 he was the defensive backfield coach for the University of Houston.[1]
After football[]
Since 1990, Houston has served as a guidance counselor for children in hospitals and who are home bound or have been placed in child care agencies by the State of Texas. He does this work for the Houston Independent School District.[1]
Personal[]
Houston has a wife, Gustie, a daughter, Kene; and a son, Kenneth Christian.[1]
