:Walt Corey

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1938–2022)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Walt Corey

| image =

| position = Linebacker

| number = 56

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1938|5|9|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Latrobe, Pennsylvania

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|10|23|1938|5|9}}

| death_place = Pleasant Hill, Missouri

| undraftedyear = 1960

| college = Miami (FL)

| high_school = Derry Area (PA)

| teams =

| pastteams =

Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs (1960–1966)

| pastcoaching =

Omaha Mustangs (1967)
Head coach
Utah State (1967–1969)
Defensive backs
Miami (FL) (1970)
Defensive coordinator
Miami (FL) (1971)
Running backs
Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1972|1974}})
Linebackers
Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|1975|1977}})
Linebackers and strength
Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1978|1980}})
Defensive line
Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1981|1982}})
Defensive backs
Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1983|1985}})
Defensive line
Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1986}})
Defensive coordinator/linebackers
Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1987|1994}})
Defensive coordinator/linebackers
New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1997|1999}})
Defensive line
Memphis Maniax (2000)
Defensive coordinator/linebackers

| highlights =

2× AFL champion (1962, 1966)
AFL All-Star (1963)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 69

| statlabel2 = Interceptions

| statvalue2 = 4

| statlabel3 =

| statvalue3 =

| pfrcoach = CoreWa0

}}

Walter Martin Corey (May 9, 1938 – October 23, 2022) was an American professional football player and coach. He played as a linebacker for seven seasons in the American Football League (AFL) before coaching in the National Football League (NFL) for 28 seasons.

Corey played college football for the University of Miami, and then played for the Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL from 1960 to 1966. He was an AFL All-Star in 1963 and a member of the AFL champions in 1962 and 1966. Corey then served as head coach of the Omaha Mustangs, a defensive coach at the collegiate level for the University of Miami and Utah State University, for the Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, and New Orleans Saints of the NFL, as well as the Memphis Maniax of the XFL.

Early life

Corey, the youngest of 16 children,{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=Mark Gaughan News Sports |title=Walt Corey, defensive coordinator for Bills' four Super Bowl teams, dies at age 84 |url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/walt-corey-defensive-coordinator-for-bills-four-super-bowl-teams-dies-at-age-84/article_f74f58a4-540f-11ed-97e9-1faa5a6475c4.html |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=The Buffalo News |language=en}} was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on May 9, 1938.{{cite web|title=Walt Corey Stats|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CoreWa00.htm|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=October 25, 2022}} He attended Derry Township High School in nearby Cooperstown. He then studied at the University of Miami, where he played linebacker for the Miami Hurricanes.{{cite news|title=Former Bills remember long-time defensive coordinator Walt Corey|url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/former-bills-remember-long-time-defensive-coordinator-walt-corey|first=Chris|last=Brown|date=October 25, 2022|access-date=October 25, 2022|publisher=Buffalo Bills}} Undrafted in the 1960 NFL draft,{{cite news|title=Defensive Stalwart and Former Coach Walt Corey Passes Away|url=https://www.chiefs.com/news/defensive-stalwart-and-former-coach-walt-corey-passes-away|first=Bob|last=Moore|date=October 25, 2022|access-date=October 25, 2022|publisher=Kansas City Chiefs}} Corey signed as a rookie free agent with the Dallas Texans of the American Football League (AFL).

Playing career

Corey signed with the Dallas Texans (now Kansas City Chiefs) as undrafted free agent. With the team, he was an AFL All-Star in 1963.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/105456364/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20afl%20all-star&match=1 |title=The Indianapolis Star |page =59 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=January 19, 1964 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} At the end of the 1966 season, the Chiefs appeared in the first Super Bowl;{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/270987408/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20utah&match=1 |title=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|page= 60 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=January 15, 1967 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} Corey announced his retirement after the season to begin a coaching career.

Coaching career

Corey was hired as the head coach with the Omaha Mustangs of the Professional Football League of America.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/242420871/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22&match=1 |title=Hartford Courant |page = 64 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=July 13, 1967 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} Before the 1967 season, he was hired to the defensive coaching staff for Utah State University in Logan.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/447704912/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20utah&match=1 |title=Latrobe Bulletin |page= 11 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=September 16, 1967 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} In 1968, he represented Utah State as a defensive backs coach at the North–South Shrine Game.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/687327221/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20miami&match=1 |title=The Herald-Journal | page= 5 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=July 18, 1969 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} Corey was hired to be the Miami Hurricanes' defensive coordinator in 1970,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LJBaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WEoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=927%2C2783646 |work=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |title=Corey resigns at USU, goes to Miami |date=May 12, 1970 |page=C1}} and to coach the offensive backfield in 1971.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/624184021/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20chiefs&match=1 |title=The Miami Herald|page =79 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=February 8, 1971 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}}{{cite news|title=Offerdahl Gets the Right Kind of Break|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/389542047|page=10C|first=Bob|last=Hill|date=October 24, 1987|access-date=October 25, 2022|newspaper=Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|id={{ProQuest|389542047}}}}

In 1971, the Kansas City Chiefs hired Corey as a defensive coach.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/377351063/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20chiefs&match=1 |title=Chicago Tribune | page= 59 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=September 19, 1971 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} After the 1974 season, the Cleveland Browns hired Corey as their linebacker and strength coach.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/676746694/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20browns&match=1 |title=The Kansas City Times| page =28 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=February 4, 1975 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} After three seasons with Cleveland, Corey returned to the Chiefs as their linebacker coach for the 1978 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/677419531/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20chiefs&match=1 |title=The Kansas City Times |page =62 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=January 7, 1978 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} After coaching Kansas City's defensive line for two years, he became their defensive backs coach.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/623608799/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20chiefs&match=1 |title=The Charlotte Observer| page= 29 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=January 20, 1981 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} In 1983, new Chiefs head coach John Mackovic named Corey his first hire for his coaching staff,{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/17146413/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20chiefs&match=1 |title=The Salina Journal | page = 12 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=February 12, 1983 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} assigning him to coach the defensive line.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/17147863/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20chiefs%20defensive%20line&match=1 |title=The Salina Journal| page = 42 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=February 20, 1983 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}} In 1986, Mackovic promoted Corey to defensive coordinator.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/424751694/?terms=%22walt%20corey%22%20chiefs&match=1 |title=The Manhattan Mercury |page=10 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=January 14, 1986 |accessdate=October 25, 2022}}

Corey followed former Chiefs head coach Marv Levy to the Buffalo Bills in 1987. He coached there until the 1994 season, when the Bills finished a disappointing 7–9, and Corey was fired. Corey was Buffalo's defensive coordinator for Buffalo's four consecutive AFC Championship teams from 1990 to 1993. He was also the defensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints under head coach Mike Ditka, from 1997 to 1999. He was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach of the Memphis Maniax of the XFL in 2001, its only season.{{cite web | url=http://www.azcardinals.com/news-and-events/article-2/A-Glimpse-Inside-Paris-Lenon/7b69a803-e472-45f6-aea9-260d41f09d66 | title=A Glimpse Inside Paris Lenon | access-date=October 15, 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.all-xfl.com/memphismaniax/community/personnel.shtml | title=Football Operations | publisher=all-xfl.com | access-date=October 15, 2014}}

Personal life

Corey and his wife, Jane, had two children.{{cite web | url=https://buffalonews.com/news/corey-out-as-defensive-coordinator-dismissal-comes-after-butler-levy-meet-with-wilson/article_ec35542f-dba9-512e-9ec3-e4634cdaaefd.html | title=Corey Out as Defensive Coordinator Dismissal Comes After Butler, Levy Meet with Wilson }} Corey died on October 23, 2022, at age 84.