Background
Walker was born in Boise, Idaho, in 1936 and graduated from Boise High School.
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Wayne Walker
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University of Idaho.
Career
A native of Boise, Idaho, Walker played college football at the University of Idaho. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 1958 NFL Draft and played professional football for the Lions as a linebacker and placekicker from 1958 to 1972. In 15 seasons playing in the National Football League (NFL), he played in 200 regular season games, the second most for a defensive player at the time.
He played in three Pro Bowls and thrice selected as a first-team All-NFL player.
After retiring as a player, Walker worked as a sports broadcaster. He was the sports director for KPIX-television in San Francisco from 1974 to 1994.
He passed on an offer to play professional baseball. Walker enrolled at the University of Idaho and played college football from 1955 to 1957 as a center and middle linebacker for the Idaho Vandals football under head coach Skip Stahley.
Walker"s teammate (and road roommate) at Idaho was Jerry Kramer.
Both Walker and Kramer went on to play in the NFL, and both had their numbers retired at Idaho. As a senior in 1957, Walker was a team captain. At the end of the 1957 season, he was selected by the United Press as a second-team center on the All-Pacific Coast team
In the 1957 East-West Shrine Game, he had 15 tackles, two interceptions, and blocked a kick.
He was voted the outstanding defensive player of the game. He also played in the 1958 Chicago College All-Star Game, helping the college all-stars defeat the Detroit Lions, 35-19.
Walker was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round, 45th overall pick, of the 1958 NFL Draft. He played for the Lions for 15 years from 1958 to 1972.
When he retired, he had appeared in 200 games for the Lions, a franchise record that was later broken by Jason Hanson.
He also scored 345 points, which ranked third in Lions history at the time of his retirement (currently ninth). As a placekicker, Walker converted 53 of 131 field goal attempts for a 40.5% success rate, the lowest field goal percentage in NFL history. On extra points, he converted 172 of 175 attempt for a 98.3% success rate.
After his retirement from the NFL, Walker was the sports director for KPIX-television, the Columbia Broadcasting System affiliate in San Francisco for twenty years, from 1974 to 1994, where he succeeded Barry Tompkins.
He was also a sports commentator for the San Francisco 49ers" radio broadcasts for over twenty years and a commentator on Oakland Athletics baseball broadcasts from 1976 to 1980 and in 1985. He also broadcast regional NFL games for several years on Columbia Broadcasting System.
Diagnosed with throat cancer in June 2007, Walker lost 60 pounds (27 kg) after chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
As of 2009 he was healthy again and had regained most of the lost weight. In October 2015, Walker announced that he was suffering from Parkinson"s disease, possibly as a result of the concussions he suffered during his playing days.
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Born
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Nationality
United States