Herb Slattery

Herbert Anthony Slattery (born March 29, 1945) is an American former professional football offensive lineman and linebacker. He played college football for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens and was selected in the 11th round of the 1967 NFL/AFL draft by the New York Jets. He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 1994.

Early life Slattery was born on March 29, 1945, in Wilmington, Delaware. He attended Archmere Academy in Claymont, where he was a standout athlete. He started all four years on the football team; as a freshman, he played fullback before switching to tackle as a sophomore, also being a top linebacker for his last two years. He was also a Catholic All-American as selected by The New World newspaper.

In addition to playing football, Slattery also participated in three other sports. Outside of Archmere, Slattery also spent two years with the Delaware Post No. 1 baseball team in the American Legion League. He remained a starter for his subsequent three years with the Fightin' Blue Hens and became one of the top linemen in school history; during his career, he was the only person for Delaware to start on both sides of the ball, being a standout tackle on offense and linebacker on defense. At times, he was also able to play defensive back. He was the heaviest player in the starting lineup – as well as the second-tallest – but was still regarded as one of the fastest members of the line, as well as, according to several coaches, "probably the team's best lineman–both offensively and defensively."

Slattery was selected twice as a first-team All-Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) player, as a junior and senior. He was additionally named the co-winner of the Delaware Athlete of the Year award, along with Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Chris Short, as selected by the Wilmington Sportswriters Association. In his collegiate career, he averaged 15 tackles per game. The Jets drafted him to play offensive guard. He joined the team for training camp on July 14, but was later placed on injured reserve with a knee injury and was waived on July 31. He later briefly joined the Waterbury Orbits of the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) in September, although he is not known to have played in any games. His season ended when he joined the Maryland National Guard in October, serving at Fort Dix in New Jersey.

Later life Slattery was retired from football by the 1968 season, moving that year to Dover and working for the International Latex Corporation there. He later moved to Voorhees Township, New Jersey, where he was the senior vice president of G. E. Capital Mortgage Services as of 1991. By 1994, he held the same position for Kislak Mortgage Corp. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.