Larry Tearry
{{Short description|American football player (born 1956)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Larry Tearry
| number = 54
| position = Center
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|4|24}}
| birth_place = Erwin, North Carolina, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lbs = 260
| high_school = E. E. Smith
(Fayetteville, North Carolina)
| college = Wake Forest (1974–1977)
| draftyear = 1978
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 109
| pastteams =
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1978}}–{{NFL Year|1979}})
- Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1980}})*
- Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|1981}})*
|highlights =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 25
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 22
| pfr = T/TearLa20
}}
Larry Wayne Tearry (born April 24, 1956) is an American former professional football center who played two seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Lions in the fourth round of the 1978 NFL draft after playing college football at Wake Forest University.
Early life and college
Larry Wayne Tearry was born on April 24, 1956, in Erwin, North Carolina.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/t/tear00200.html | title=Larry Tearry | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=17 April 2025}} He played high school football at E.E. Smith High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina as an offensive tackle. He was inducted into the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame in 2017.{{cite news | url=https://www.fayobserver.com/story/sports/2017/03/09/quartet-of-hard-hitters-inducted-to-fayetteville-sports-club-hall-of-fame/21996367007/ | title=Quartet of hard hitters inducted to Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame | work=The Fayetteville Observer | date=March 8, 2017 | accessdate=17 April 2025 | author=Batten, Sammy}}
Tearry was a four-year letterman for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons of Wake Forest University from 1974 to 1977. He was an offensive tackle his freshman year but was moved to center as a sophomore. He was named first-team All-ACC by the Associated Press as a senior in 1977.{{cite news|title=Fuller, Six Tigers named to All-ACC|newspaper=Spartanburg Herald-Journal|date=November 27, 1977|page=B1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BIUsAAAAIBAJ&dq=all-atlantic+coast&pg=PA78&article_id=5729,5746549}} Tearry was a team captain while at Wake Forest. He also spent time writing poetry in college.{{cite web | url=https://godeacs.com/news/2009/7/16/camp_countdown_larry_tearry_s_poetry | title=Camp Countdown: Larry Tearry's Poetry | publisher=Wake Forest University | date=1977 | accessdate=17 April 2025 | author=Haas Bill}}
Professional career
Tearry was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round, with 109th overall pick, of the 1978 NFL draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TearLa20.htm | title=Larry Tearry | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=17 April 2025}} He officially signed with the team on June 15. He played in 14 games, starting 12, for the Lions as a rookie in 1978. Tearry appeared in 11 games, starting ten, in 1979 before being placed on injured reserve on November 16, 1979.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/t/tear00200.html | title=Larry Tearry Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=17 April 2025}}
On April 6, 1980, Tearry was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 1980 fifth-round pick and a 1980 ninth-round pick.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-leader-and-press/170502618/ | title=Chiefs acquire center Tearry | work=Springfield Leader and Press | date=April 10, 1980 | agency=Associated Press | accessdate=17 April 2025 | pages=3D}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-times/170502549/ | title=Better atmosphere gives new Chief life | work=The Kansas City Times | date=April 12, 1980 | accessdate=17 April 2025 | author=Pulliam, Kent | pages=E2}} He was released on August 19, 1980.
Tearry signed with the Miami Dolphins on July 20, 1981. He was released on July 27, 1981, after he left the team during training camp.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic/170502491/ | title=Transactions | work=The Arizona Republic | date=July 28, 1981 | accessdate=17 April 2025 | pages=C3}}
Personal life
Tearry was later an assistant principal and athletic director at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Lions1978DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tearry, Larry}}
Category:Players of American football from North Carolina
Category:American football centers
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons football players
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:Kansas City Chiefs players
Category:Miami Dolphins players