Charley Hennigan obit

Former Oilers Great Charlie Hennigan Passes Away

 

He was not on the list.

Charles Hennigan, one of the greatest players in Houston Oilers history, has died at the age of 82.

Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk released a statement on Thursday morning about the passing of the Oilers accomplished receiver:

“We are saddened to hear about the death of Charlie Hennigan yesterday. He was one of the finest players in our franchise’s history and a key component to our early championship teams, who still holds many of our receiving records. My father was particularly fond of Charlie and I have enjoyed getting to know him through the years. His contributions to our team will never be forgotten. We are thinking about him and his family during this difficult time.”

Hennigan was a five-time AFL All-Star who played from 1960-66 with the franchise. He caught 410 passes for 6,823 receiving yards in his career, with 51 touchdowns.

Hennigan scored the first touchdown in Oilers history when he caught a 43-yard touchdown pass from George Blanda in the first quarter against the Raiders.

In his second NFL season, Hennigan caught 82 passes for 1,746 yards and 12 touchdowns in a 14-game season, averaging 21.3 yards per catch and 124 yards per game.

Veteran sports writer Rick Gosselin noted the impact Hennigan had on the game in a column for Talk of Fame Network last year:

Hennigan caught 100 yards in passes in 10 of Houston’s 14 games (during the 1961 season). That record stood for 34 years before Michael Irvin posted 11 100-yard games for the Cowboys in 1995 in a 16-game season. Hennigan’s three 200-yard games that season still remain an NFL record 53 years later. His 1,746 yards receiving was another record that stood for 34 years before (Jerry) Rice broke it, also in 1995, with 1,848 yards for the 49ers.

“You can say Bob Hayes changed the way the game is played with his speed. You can say Charley Taylor changed the way the game is played with his power. And you can say Jerry Rice changed the way the game is played with his precision and grace,” Gosselin wrote.

“But no wide receiver changed the way the game is played like Charlie Hennigan.”

Hennigan attended LSU on a track scholarship but wanted to play football. He therefore transferred to Northwestern State University (then Northwestern State College) in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where he became the star of the team. In 1960, he joined the American Football League's Houston Oilers in the team's first year of operation. Prior to joining the Oilers, he had taught high school biology at a salary of some $2,700 per year. He kept his teacher pay stub in his helmet to remind him that he must succeed in pro athletics.

Oilers/Titans Franchise records


As of 2019's NFL off-season, Charley Hennigan held at least 9 Titans franchise records, including:
Most Receptions (season): 101 (1964)
Most Receptions (game): 13 (1961-10-13 @BOS; tied with Sid Blanks and Haywood Jeffires and Drew Bennett)
Most Receiving Yds (season): 1,746 (1961)
Most Receiving Yds (game): 272 (1961-10-13 @BOS)
Most Receiving TDs (career): 51
Most Rec Yds/Game (career): 71.8
Most Rec Yds/Game (season): 124.7 (1961)
Most 100+ yard receiving games (career): 28
Most 100+ yard receiving games (season): 10 (1961)

His mother, Lura E. Hennigan (1916–1997), though originally Baptist became a Pentecostal minister, piano teacher, and artist. She wrote a regular column entitled "The Abundant Life" for the Minden Press-Herald.

Darst Funeral Home posted the following service Information on Hennigan:

Visitation: a visitation will be held on Friday, December 22, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. in Kingwood, TX at Darst Funeral Home (796 Russell Palmer Road, Kingwood, TX 77339).

Reception: a celebration of life will be held on Friday, December 22, 2017 at 5 p.m. in Kingwood, TX at Darst Funeral Home (796 Russell Palmer Road, Kingwood, TX 77339).

Interment: a graveside service will be held on Saturday, December 23, 2017 at 3 p.m. in Bienville, Louisiana at Campground Cemetery (HWY LA 507, Bienville, Louisiana 71008).