| No. 36, 45 | |
| Safety | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: March 12, 1968 | |
| Place of birth: Dallas, Texas | |
| Career information | |
| College: Iowa | |
| NFL Draft: 1991 / Round: 5 / Pick: 122 | |
| Debuted in 1991 for the [[{{{debutteam}}}]] | |
| Last played in 1999 for the [[{{{finalteam}}}]] | |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Tackles | 445[1] |
| INT | 33 |
| INT yards | 410 |
| Touchdowns | 3 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Merton Edward Hanks (born March 12, 1968) is a former safety in the National Football League.[2]
Hanks attended Lake Highlands High School, where he was a district track and field champion. He went on to the University of Iowa, earning all-Big Ten honors at cornerback. However, at the NFL scouting combine, his 40-yard dashes were extremely slow, and he was not drafted until the fifth round by the San Francisco 49ers.
Despite his low selection, Hanks was selected for 4 Pro Bowl and 3 All-Pro teams. He was well known for his interceptions and returns, as well as his unique "chicken dance" celebrations which were later emulated by basketball star Shaquille O'Neal.[3][4] He was a member of the 1994 San Francisco team that won Super Bowl XXIX. Hanks finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks, retiring in 1999. He is now a senior manager and assistant director of operations for the National Football League, and regularly goes on speaking tours.[5]
References
- ↑ "Merton Hanks Pro Football Reference". sports-reference.com. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HankMe00.htm.
- ↑ "Merton Hanks". NFL.com. National Football League. http://www.nfl.com/players/mertonhanks/profile?id=HAN175341. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
- ↑ Gwen Knapp (December 21, 1997). "Dances with Hanks". sfgate.com. http://articles.sfgate.com/1997-12-21/sports/28561674_1. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- ↑ Phil Taylor (December 1, 1997). "Basketball Jones". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1011561/index.htm. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- ↑ "Where are they now? Merton Hanks". Hawkeye Sports. October 9, 2008. http://www.hawkeyesportsnews.com/2008/10/where-are-they-now-merton-hanks.html. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
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