Herb Mul-Key
{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1949)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image = Mul-Key-Herb-1975.jpg
| caption = Mul-Key in 1975
| position = Running back
Kick returner
| number = 28
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|11|15}}
| birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| weight_lb = 190
| height_in = 0
| undraftedyear = 1972
| college = Alabama State
| teams =
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1972}}–{{NFL Year|1974}})
- Baltimore Colts ({{NFL Year|1975}})*
- Montreal Alouettes ({{CFL Year|1975}})
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 23
| statlabel2 = Starts
| statvalue2 = 1
| statlabel3 = Kick return yards
| statvalue3 = 1,505
| statlabel4 = Rushing yards
| statvalue4 = 178
| statlabel5 = Touchdowns
| statvalue5 = 2
| pfr = Mul-He00
}}
Herbert Felton Mul-Key (born November 15, 1949) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for three seasons with the Washington Redskins in the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl VII squad, and appeared in the Pro Bowl in 1973. Born Herbert Mulkey, he hyphenated his name after having it made fun of in school.
Biography
Herb Mul-Key attended Harper High School in Atlanta, where he was an all-city player. However, his attitude was criticized by coaches, and he did not receive a college scholarship. Yet, he was able to play at Alabama State College but for only one season.{{cite web |last=Nix |first=JW |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/179496-herb-mul-key-better-than-invincible |title=Herb Mul-Key : BETTER Than Invincible |website=Bleacher Report |access-date=May 15, 2020 |date=May 20, 2009}} After that he worked a series of jobs and served in the Navy. Childhood friend Harold McLinton told Mul-Key of an open try-out for the Redskins. Mul-Key borrowed money from his parents and friends to travel to Washington, D.C. to attend the tryout held by George Allen and the Redskins in 1971. Allen was impressed by his speed, running 40 yards in under 4.5 seconds on a wet field, and signed him to the rookie minimum salary of $12,000. He was the only player ever signed from these tryouts, which were more public relations stunts than an actual talent search.{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Larry |title='In-Herb-ible' Sounded Bad |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-aug-25-sp-vermeil25-story.html |access-date=May 1, 2020 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=August 25, 2006}}
Mul-Key spent most of the 1972 on Washington's reserve list.{{cite news |title=He's a Pro Now, Not a Semi- |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/31/archives/hes-a-pro-now-not-a-semi.html |access-date=May 1, 2020 |work=New York Times |date=December 31, 1972}} He was activated for the 13th game of the season against the Dallas Cowboys when NFC rushing leader Larry Brown was injured.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|newspaper=Atlanta Constitution|title=Merriwell with a hyphen|author=Thomy, Al|date=December 29, 1972|page=2-D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108165221/the-atlanta-constitution/}} In that game he rushed for 60 yards on 8 attempts and returned 6 kickoffs for 173 yards.{{cite web|title=Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys - December 9th, 1972|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197212090dal.htm|accessdate=2022-08-23|publisher=Sports Reference|work=Pro Football Reference}} He started the next game, the final game of the 1972 regular season, against the Buffalo Bills and rushed for 95 yards on 25 carries.{{cite web|title=Buffalo Bills at Washington Redskins - December 17th, 1972
|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197212170was.htm|accessdate=2022-08-23|publisher=Sports Reference|work=Pro Football Reference}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|newspaper=Daily News|title=Allen: An enigma until the end|author=Hinckley, David|date=January 4, 1991|page=68|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108179771/daily-news/}} In the 1972 playoffs he served as a kick returner, returning 2 kickoffs for 60 yards in the divisional round game against the Green Bay Packers and returning 1 kickoff for 15 yards in Super Bowl VII against the Miami Dolphins.{{cite web|title=Herb Mul-Key Gamelogs 1972|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/Mul-He00/gamelog/1972/|accessdate=2022-08-23|publisher=Sports Reference|work=Pro Football Reference}}
In pre-season in 1973 Mul-Key ran the first kickoff at Rich Stadium back 102 yards for a touchdown.{{cite news |last1=Wallace |first1=William N. |title=102-Yard Redskins Return Opens Bills' New Stadium |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/08/18/archives/102yard-redskinreturn-opens-bills-new-stadium-sign-removed-sight.html |access-date=May 1, 2020 |newspaper=New York Times |date=August 18, 1973}} In a game against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 23, 1973, Mul-Key scored on a 97 yard kickoff return on the play after Don Shy had scored a kickoff return touchdown; the 2nd time in NFL history kickoff return touchdowns were scored on consecutive plays.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|newspaper=San Francisco Examiner|author=Soltau, Mark|title=A happy return for Joe Cribbs|date=December 21, 1987|page=F-3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108170468/the-san-francisco-examiner/}}{{cite web|title=Washington Redskins at St. Louis Cardinals - September 23rd, 1973|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197309230crd.htm|accessdate=2022-08-23|publisher=Sports Reference|work=Pro Football Reference}} He went to the Pro Bowl after the 1973 season as a kick returner.{{cite web|title=Herb Mul-Key|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/Mul-He00.htm|accessdate=2022-08-23|publisher=Sports Reference|work=Pro Football Reference}} In 1974 Mul-Key separated his shoulder in Washington's 5th game against Miami and he required surgery to repair it and was placed on injured reserve.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|title=Herb Mul-Key has surgery|newspaper=South Idaho Press|page=7|date=October 25, 1974|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108167502/south-idaho-press/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|newspaper=The Times|title=Surgery for Herb Mul-Key|date=October 25, 1974|page=24|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108166873/the-times/}}{{cite news |last1=Brady |first1=Dave |title=Rumors of Injuries, Trades Keeping Mul-Key Guessing |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/146387736 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=April 16, 1975|id={{ProQuest|146387736}} }}
Mul-Key was traded to the Baltimore Colts before the 1975 season in exchange for a 1977 4th round draft pick.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|title=Baltimore Colts get 'Skins Herb Mul-Key|newspaper=Intelligencer Journal|date=June 10, 1975|page=20|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108168673/intelligencer-journal/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|newspaper=Salt Lake City Tribune|title=Pro Probe|date=January 4, 1976|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108172080/the-salt-lake-tribune/|page=2F}} The Colts cut Mul-Key before the 1975 season and he was signed by the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|newspaper=Lancaster New Era|title=Colts Waive Steve Joachim|date=September 10, 1975|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108169234/lancaster-new-era/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|newspaper=The Gazette|title=Alouettes counting on Mul-Key to unlock a more potent offence|author=Bacon, Dick|page=38|date=September 16, 1975|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108169523/the-gazette/}} Mul-Key was cut by the Alouettes before the 1976 season.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-08-23|newspaper=Montreal Star|title=Alouettes count on recovery of Sherrer|page=B-7|author=Roberts, Fred|date=May 18, 1976|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108169992/the-montreal-star/}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=mul-kher001 Just Sports Stats]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mul-Key, Herb}}
Category:Players of Canadian football from Atlanta
Category:Players of American football from Atlanta
Category:American football running backs
Category:American football return specialists
Category:Washington Redskins players
Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:Montreal Alouettes players
Category:Canadian football running backs
Category:Alabama State Hornets football players