Paul "Tank" Younger

Paul Lawrence "Tank" Younger (June 25, 1928 – September 15, 2001) was an American professional football player who was a fullback, halfback, and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) from 1949 through 1958 with the Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Younger played on four Rams teams that went to NFL championship games (winning in 1951); played in four NFL All-Star Games (Pro Bowls); and was first or second team All-Pro three times, first as a linebacker and later as a running back.

He played college football for Grambling State University, leading all college football players with 25 touchdowns as a freshman in 1945, and graduated with the most touchdowns scored by a player in college football history (60), up to that time (1948). He was the first NFL player to have come from an historically black college and university (HBCU), and was the first African American to become an NFL front-office administrator (scout and executive with the Rams until 1975). Younger also became the NFL’s first black assistant general manager (with the San Diego Chargers from 1975 to 1986).

Early life Younger was born on June 25, 1928, in Grambling, Louisiana. He was one of five children born to Corbett and Callie Younger. Younger's godfather Dr. Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones was Grambling College's president. Jones encouraged Younger's family to have Younger return to Grambling for his education in high school and college, while spending summers with his family in Los Angeles. Over his 55 years as Grambling's coach, Robinson sent numerous players on to play and star in the NFL, such as Pro Football Hall of Fame players Willie Davis, Buck Buchanan, Willie Brown and Charlie Joiner. Younger was Robinson's first star player. He helped lead Grambling to a 19–6 victory over Lane College in the January 1946 Flower Bowl.

Grambling's sports information director Collie Nicholson gave Younger the nickname "Tank". Nicholson said, “It was just after World War II . . . I was watching him run over everybody he couldn't run around. I'd been a Marine in the South Pacific, and it reminded me of what I saw those tanks doing down there”.

In his junior year (1947), Younger was a team co-captain. Younger led all HBCU schools in scoring. His 1,207 rushing yards led all college rushers. He played in the January 1, 1948 Vulcan Bowl against Wilberforce State College (now Wilberforce University). During Grambling's 27–21 loss, Younger passed for a touchdown and had a touchdown reception. He was named to the Pittsburgh Courier All-America team for the 1947 college football season. Grambling defeated Texas College, 26–20, in the December 1948 Lions Bowl; but Younger had a badly sprained ankle and was only in the game for a single play.

After his senior season in 1948, he was voted Black College Football's Player of the Year, and was again named a member of Pittsburgh Courier All-America team. When Younger graduated from Grambling, his NCAA career total of 60 touchdowns (scored mostly on punt returns and end-around plays) was an all-time record for touchdowns scored by a single player.

Los Angeles Rams After Younger went undrafted by any NFL teams, Kotal, who had kept in contact with Younger, went to Grambling to pursue Younger into coming to play for the Rams.

When playing in the South for exhibition games in 1949, Younger and his black teammates could not stay in the same hotels as their white teammates. Younger did not experience any hostility from his Rams' teammates, which helped his transition into the NFL. Younger said that Rams' teammate Don Paul's acceptance and respectful treatment of Younger set the tone for the entire team's positive attitude towards him. He played in the 1949 NFL Championship Game, won by the Philadelphia Eagles, 14–0. He caught one pass in that game.

In the second game of his career, against the Green Bay Packers, Younger was blocking on a running play when he was hit with a forearm in the face by the Packers' 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 290 lb (131.5 kg) Ed Neal, who was known for his particularly powerful arms and was considered arguably the strongest man in the NFL. At the time, NFL players did not wear any kind of face protection. There was no assertion reported that Neal did this with any intention to injure Younger. Younger's nose was seriously injured and he was badly bloodied. He was also knocked unconscious for a considerable time. It has been reported that violence of this play led to the Rams and then other NFL teams introducing the crossbar face mask into the league. Younger played the next week against the Chicago Bears, though reportedly without a face mask. He was one of the NFL's top linebackers that season. He was the starting right linebacker in the Rams 24–14 playoff victory over the Chicago Bears in 1950, and 30–28 loss to the Cleveland Browns in the 1950 NFL Championship Game. The Rams lost on a last-minute field goal. During a 1950 game on a muddy field, Stydahar got the idea to use the three big running backs simultaneously in the backfield. This formation became known as the Bull Elephant backfield; each runner weighing at least 225 pounds (102 kg) (or at least 220 lb in Hoerner's case). The 200 lb (90.7 kg) Rams' quarterback Bob Waterfield was sometimes included as part of the Bull Elephant backfield.

The Rams won the NFL championship in 1951. Younger played both running back on offense and left linebacker on defense that season, averaging 50 minutes per game. and was named first-team All-Pro at linebacker by the Associated Press (AP).

Each of the three Bull Elephants averaged over six yards per carry in 1951. This was the last game for the Bull Elephants as a trio, with Hoerner being traded to the Dallas Texans before the 1952 season.

In 1952, Younger played at fullback and left linebacker. He rushed for 331 yards on 63 carries, with one touchdown; and had 73 yards on 12 receptions. He had two interceptions on defense. He was again selected to play in the Pro Bowl, and was named second-team All-Pro by United Press International (UPI). In 1953, Younger was primarily used at fullback. He started five games, and rushed for 350 yards in 84 carries, with eight rushing touchdowns. He also had 259 yards on 20 receptions, with one receiving touchdown. He was selected for the third consecutive year to play in the Pro Bowl.

In 1954, Younger had his best rushing season to date in his career. He rushed for a team-leading 610 yards, and his 6.7 yards per carry average was a career-high and led all NFL runners that season. He played in and started only eight games that season, missing the last four games after suffering a season-ending dislocated knee during a November game against the Chicago Cardinals. Younger rushed for over 100 yards in each of the three preceding games, including a 186-yard game against the Chicago Bears and a 140-yard game against the Detroit Lions. While he could not play in the Pro Bowl because of this injury, he was still selected second-team All-Pro by the AP and UPI, as a running back.

In 1955, Younger missed four games with a dislocated wrist and a neck injury. He started seven of the eight games in which he appeared. Younger had career highs in rushing yards (644) and carries (138). He led the NFL with a 80.5 yards per game rushing average. However, his yards per carry went from 6.7 in 1954 to 4.7 in 1955. The Rams reached the 1955 NFL Championship Game, once again playing the Cleveland Browns, in a 38–14 loss; with the injured Younger unable to play in the game.

In 1956, Younger started 10 of the 12 games in which he appeared. He rushed for 518 yards on 4.5 yards per carry, with three rushing touchdowns. He also had 268 receiving yards on 18 receptions. His 786 total yards from scrimmage was a career high. This was his final season with the Rams.

Younger played 100 games with the Rams over nine years. He is the tenth-leading rusher in Rams history with 3,296 yards (through 2025). He averaged 4.7 yards per carry, with 34 rushing touchdowns. He had 84 receptions for 979 yards. He also had three interceptions. During his one season with the Steelers, Younger started seven games. He had 344 rushing yards, with a 3.9 yards per carry average and three rushing touchdowns. He also had 16 receptions for 188 yards. Younger retired after his one season with the Steelers. He has stated, "I could have played two or three more years . . . but football always was a fun game to me. When I got to the point where football was no longer fun, I quit".

Jack Teele, like Younger a Chargers and Rams team executive, in describing Younger's place as a pioneering black player in the NFL said Younger "was perfectly suited to play such a role. To Tank, racial differences really didn’t exist much; you were either a good guy or a bad guy". Younger became the league's first black executive (with the Rams) and first black assistant general manager (with the San Diego Chargers). The Fritz Pollard Alliance also presents a Paul "Tank" Younger Award for promoting diversity and equality in the NFL. The award is given annually to "the persons who have displayed outstanding work throughout the years both on and off the field in helping to level the playing field in the NFL".

In 2000, Younger was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1993, Younger and Walter Payton were the two running backs named to the black college football 100th-year all-star team. In 1969, the Louisiana Sportswriters Association selected Younger to the Louisiana Collegiate All-Time Football Team.

Although his Grambling No. 22 had not been officially at the time of his death in 2001, no Grambling player had been assigned that number since Younger graduated. After his death in September 2001, each of Grambling's players wore the No. 22 on their helmets to honor Younger. In 2025, he was one of the players under consideration for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Seniors category, but was not selected. Sportscaster and commentator Howard Cossell said of Younger "His heroics have never been properly recognized . . . He opened the door to a new talent source and gave pro football a new dimension. Tank Younger was a great player . . . No matter what criteria they use in the selection process, the NFL has diluted its Hall of Fame in bypassing Younger". In addition Cossell and Izenberg, Younger's inclusion in the Hall of Fame has been supported by, among others, Pulitzer Prize winner Jim Murray, Hall of Fame writer Murray Olderman, Beano Cook, and Brad Pye.

Personal life and death Younger was drafted into the United States Army in January 1951. Younger was known for his humor, friendly and gregarious nature towards people from all walks of life, and affection for children.

Younger died of cancer on September 15, 2001, in Inglewood, California. He was survived by Lucille Younger and their three children.

NFL career statistics Legend Won the NFL championship Led the league Bold Career high

Regular season Year Team Games Rushing Receiving GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1949 RAM 12 8 52 191 3.7 16 0 7 119 17.0 33 0 1950 RAM 12 12 8 28 3.5 6 2 0 0 0.0 0 0 1951 RAM 12 12 36 223 6.2 24 1 5 72 14.4 52 0 1952 RAM 12 12 63 331 5.3 38 1 12 73 6.1 12 0 1953 RAM 12 3 84 350 4.2 39 8 20 259 13.0 48 1 1954 RAM 8 8 91 610 6.7 75 8 8 76 9.5 21 0 1955 RAM 8 7 138 644 4.7 54 5 6 51 8.5 13 0 1956 RAM 12 10 114 518 4.5 33 3 18 268 14.9 54 0 1957 RAM 12 9 96 401 4.2 29 3 8 61 7.6 16 0 1958 PIT 12 8 88 344 3.9 36 3 16 188 11.8 51 0 112 89 770 3,640 4.7 75 34 100 1,167 11.7 54 1

Playoffs Year Team Games Rushing Receiving GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1949 RAM 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1 6 6.0 6 0 1950 RAM 2 2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1951 RAM 1 1 4 20 5.0 14 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1952 RAM 1 1 4 14 3.5 13 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 5 4 8 34 4.3 14 0 1 6 6.0 6 0