Garland Boyette obit

Former Oilers linebacker Garland Boyette, who broke barriers, dead at 82

The first Black player to start at middle linebacker in pro football grew up in Orange and retired in Houston

 He was not on the list.

Garland Boyette, who played middle linebacker for the Houston Oilers for seven seasons (1966-72), died in Houston on Tuesday. Boyette, along with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Willie Lanier, was the first Black player to start at middle linebacker in professional football.

Boyette grew up in Orange and starred at Orange’s Wallace High School. He went to Northwestern to play football, but eventually transferred to Grambling where he played alongside his nephew Ernie Ladd.

Boyette went undrafted out of college but still made the St. Louis Cardinals team, where he played for two seasons before leaving to play in the Canadian Football League. Boyette spent two seasons with the Montreal Alouettes and was named the CFL MVP in 1965. Boyette parlayed that success into a contract with the Oilers in 1966. He was named to the AFL All-Star team in 1968 and 1969.

In 1974, he finished playing for the Houston Texans of the WFL. Midway through the 1974 season the Texans moved to Shreveport and became the Steamer. Boyette finished his career with the Shreveport Steamer of the WFL in 1975. Boyette was the uncle of former Oiler teammate and San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Ernie Ladd (despite Ladd being born two years prior to Boyette).

When Boyette finished his playing career, he worked in management at Southwestern Bell for 28 years before retiring to his Missouri City home.

He was an All-American offensive guard and defensive tackle during his college playing days at Grambling State University from 1958-1961 was inducted into the Grambling Legends Sports Hall of Fame today, joining stars such as Doug Williams - the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl.