Football head coach Eddie Robinson of Grambling State University in Louisiana offered Buchanan a scholarship after being contacted by Buchanan's uncle who was determined Buchanan should go to college, and Buchanan attended Grambling.[6] He was a letterman in football and in 1962 was an NAIAAll-America selection, as well as a Black College All America. He was All Conference from 1960-1962, and played in the 1963 Chicago All Star Game where the college all stars defeated the Green Bay Packers.[11][7]
The 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 287 lb (130 kg) Buchanan was selected in both the NFL and AFL drafts in 1963. The New York Giants took him 265th overall in the 19th round of the 1963 NFL draft, while he was the first overall selection in the AFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs (the Dallas Texans at the time).[1][15] Eddie Robinson, his coach at Grambling State, where he had been an NAIA All-American in 1962, called him "the finest lineman I have seen."[4] Buchanan was the first player from an historically black college and first black player taken as a number one draft choice in Professional Football.[7][11]
Others who had watched Buchanan in action were equally enthusiastic. Buchanan had the physical size and athletic instincts to be exceptionally successful. He was particularly effective at intimidating the passer and in 1967 batted down 16 passes at or behind the line of scrimmage. He was clocked at 4.9 in the 40-yard dash and 10.2 in the 100-yard dash at Grambling State, allowing him to range from sideline to sideline to make tackles.[4]
Buchanan (left) and fellow Football Hall of Famer Curley Culp stop a Vikings running play during Super Bowl IV
In spite of the weekly pounding he took on the line of scrimmage, Buchanan was extremely durable. He played in 182 career games that included a string of 166 straight, and missed only one game in 13 years. After dabbling briefly at defensive end as a rookie, Buchanan settled down to his permanent job as the Chiefs' defensive right tackle. He was named to his first AFL All-Star Game after his second season and played in six AFL All-Star games and two AFC-NFCPro Bowls. He was All-AFL from 1966 through 1969, All-AFC in 1970 and 1971.[4][3] The Chiefs' player selected him as their MVP in 1965 and 1967, and made him a co-captain in 1968.[7]
He teamed with future hall of famer Curley Culp, Aaron Brown and Jerry Mays to establish a dominant front four for the Chiefs,[17] culminating in their victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV, when they allowed Viking runners only 67 yards rushing in 19 carries, 172 net passing yards, only two rushing first downs, to go along with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.[18][19][20] Buchanan and Culp in particular dominated the opposing center, Mick Tingelhoff, a 5-time AP first-team All-Pro selection up to that 1969 season,[18] as handily as the left guard, Jim Vellone.[citation needed] A total of six Chiefs on the team’s defense were eventually selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Buchanan, Culp, Willie Lanier, Bobby Bell, Emmitt Thomas and Johnny Robinson).[17][21]
Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw of the archrival Oakland Raiders said playing against Buchanan was like trying to block a ghost, and while he enjoyed most challenges he could not sleep the night before games against Buchanan. Upshaw's coach, hall of famer John Madden, said Buchanan revolutionized football.[3] Raiders owner Al Davis had specifically drafted Upshaw to combat Buchanan.[7]
In 1999, he was ranked number 67 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, right behind his former Chiefs teammate Bobby Bell, and above his former teammate Emmitt Thomas. Willie Lanier was at number 42.[25] In 1981, the Chiefs inducted Buchanan into their Hall of Honor and retired his uniform number 86.[26] In 2021, The Athletic ranked him 86 on its list of all-time greatest football players.[3]
Personal life and death
After retiring as a player, Buchanan became the defensive line coach for Hank Stram (his coach in Kansas City) and the New Orleans Saints in 1976. He went to coach for the Cleveland Browns in 1978, after Stram left the Saints, but left after one year. He went back to Kansas City and became a highly respected businessman and civic leader. Among other things, he ran a construction and advertising business, became president of the Black Chamber of Commerce (1986-1989), and was appointed to the Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners in 1989.[6][11]
The Buck Buchanan Award is presented annually as part of the Thomas A. Simone Annual Memorial Football Awards to a high school player in the greater Kansas City, Missouri area as the outstanding big class defensive lineman/linebacker.[27]
Buchanan was diagnosed with lung cancer a week before his Hall of Fame induction and died two years later at age 51 in his Kansas City home on July 16, 1992.[28] Buchanan never mentioned his cancer diagnosis during this hall of fame induction because he did not want to spoil the day for the other inductees.[6]
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