Chuck Banks

Charles Edward Banks Jr. (born January 4, 1964) is an American former professional football player who played running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts.

He played college football at Ferrum College and transferred to West Virginia University Institute of Technology and in 1986 became the first player in school history to win a place on the NFL active 53 man roster. He was elected to the school's Hall of Fame in 2012.

He is currently the president of the NFL-PA Baltimore Chapter.

Biography Early life

Charles "Chuck" Banks was born January 4, 1964, in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Northwestern High School Baltimore City, Maryland

College career

Banks entered West Virginia Tech as a Freshman in 1984, finding his way to varsity playing time almost immediately. Banks was the hero of a September 8, 1984, game against Georgetown College of Kentucky, when he broke a 65-yard touchdown run with just 1:17 remaining in the fourth quarter to lead the Golden Bears to a dramatic 16–15 come-from-behind victory.

Another career highlight came the following year, when he scored four rushing touchdowns for West Virginia Tech in a 35–10 victory over Davidson College on November 9, 1985.

Banks was projected as a potential 4th to 8th round draft pick in the upcoming 1986 NFL draft.

Professional career Banks was selected in the 1986 USFL draft. He was selected as the number #62 overall pick by the Arizona Outlaws as a running back.

Houston Oilers Banks was selected in the 12th round of the 1986 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers of the National Football League. Houston's pick was the 310th overall in the lottery, which ran for 12 rounds and 333 picks. Banks was disappointed by the draft, later saying:

"After the 10th round I lost hope and left my room. I thought no one was going to take me. Then I came back and they told me the Oilers had drafted me in the 12th round."

Banks signed with the team on July 21, on the eve of the team opening its 1986 training camp at Angelo State University, along with five other Houston draft picks. When he made the Oilers squad as backup fullback, Banks became the first player in West Virginia Tech school history to make an NFL roster. Banks rose to the challenge, picking up 43 yards on 10 carries and catching 2 passes for 26 more yards in his first significant NFL appearance.

Banks was waived on November 1, 1986, to make roster space for safety Allen Lyday, returning to the team from the Injured Reserve list. The severance proved to be a brief one when Banks was re-signed by the Oilers on November 12, 1986, after running back Butch Woolfolk suffered a fractured left shoulder in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Banks remained with the Oilers for the rest of the 1986 season and went with the team into its 1987 training camp. He was waived midway through the preseason, however, given his release on September 7, 1987.

Indianapolis Colts The year 1987 was marred by a protracted players' strike, called after the games of the second week of the season were completed. The schedule for week 3 was cancelled and teams rushed to cobble together replacement rosters of players willing to cross the picket lines of the National Football League Players Association and break the strike.

Out of football after being cut by the Oilers, Chuck Banks was claimed by the Indianapolis Colts and signed to a contract by general manager Jim Irsay as a "replacement player" during the strike.

Banks had his biggest day as a pro during the second of the three games played by strikebreakers in the 1987 season, gaining 159 yards on 22 carries and adding 22 more yards on five catches in a 6–0 victory over the New York Jets. In a post-game news conference, head coach Ron Meyer called Banks' output in the game "exceptional," declaring "we expect it from our single back, no matter who it is, and in this case Chuck Banks was very, very productive."

With the strike over, Banks briefly remained on the Indianapolis Colts roster. Knee and ankle injuries proved too much, however, and the team placed him on the Injured Reserve list during the first week of November, effectively ending his NFL career.

During his NFL career, including both strike and non-strike competition, Banks appeared in 16 games, carrying the ball 79 times for 325 yards, an average of 4.1 yards per carry. He added another 121 yards gained on 16 passes caught. He never scored an NFL touchdown.

Awards and honors

Named NFL Offensive Player of the Week vs. the New York Jets with 159 yards on 25 carries on October 11, 1987 Inducted into the West Virginia University Institution of Technology Football Hall of Fame in 2012 Northwestern High School (Baltimore, Md.) Football Hall of Fame in 2016 National Football League Players Association of Baltimore President (2022–present) Inducted into Ferrum College Football Hall of Fame in 2025 President's Lifetime Achievement Award from former President Joe Biden 2025

Footnotes The football database