University of North Texas Athletics

A two-time all-Missouri Valley Conference running back for the Eagles, Abner Haynes ranked seventh in the nation in rushing and fifth in scoring as a senior in 1959. He led North Texas to an appearance in the 1959 Sun Bowl and was named an All-American by Time Magazine that same year.

In 1956, Haynes and teammate Leon King became the first African-American student-athletes to play college football in Texas when they became members of the North Texas freshman team. Haynes moved up to the varsity in 1957 and, despite the racial hurdles he faced, Haynes led the Mean Green in rushing for three years. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry for his career and scored 28 touchdowns.

In 1959, Haynes earned two Missouri Valley All-Conference honors, and would later be named to the Missouri Valley's All-Centennial Team. In addition to Haynes's prodigious accomplishments as a running back, he was also a terror on special teams. In 1957, he averaged a remarkable 39.3 yards per punt return, which still stands as a school record. Even more astonishing is his career punt-return average: 28.6 yards per return, a record that remains unchallenged at North Texas.

In 1960, Haynes was selected twice to play pro ball, drafted by the Steelers of the NFL but signed by the Dallas Texans of the American Football League. In his rookie year, Haynes led the fledgling AFL in rushing and was the league's first Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. From 1960 to 1962, Haynes led the league in rushing touchdowns, was top three in rushing yards, and was first-team All-AFL. In 1961, he scored five touchdowns in one game and 19 for the season, and, in the 1962 AFL Championship game, Haynes scored two touchdowns as the Texans (which later became the Kansas City Chiefs) beat the Houston Oilers, 20-17, to win the league crown.

For his pro career, Haynes averaged 10.3 yards per punt return and 25.0 yards per kickoff return, and his 12,065 combined yards stands as an AFL record. Haynes retired in 1967, and the Chiefs retired his number in 1988. Haynes was named to the All-Time All-AFL second team and was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.