Stan Walters

Stanley Peter Walters Jr. (born May 27, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Syracuse Orange, he was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the ninth round of the 1972 NFL draft. He spent three years with the Bengals, starting at left tackle for the majority of his tenure, before he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1975. A two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Eagles, Walters started in 122 consecutive games at left tackle in his nine years with the team. Following his retirement, he was a radio color commentator for the Eagles from 1984 through 1997.

Early life Walters grew up a New York Giants fan in Rutherford, New Jersey. His father worked as a machinist in Jersey City, New Jersey. He lettered in football and basketball in high school.

College career Walters was a two-year letterman in football for Syracuse University, and started at left guard in his senior season in 1971. He participated in the Senior Bowl in 1971. He majored in history at Syracuse. He was selected to the Syracuse All-Century team in 1999. He began the 1972 season on the team's taxi squad, and he was promoted to the starting roster midway through the season owing to an injury to starter Rufus Mayes. Walters started the remaining eight games of the season at left offensive tackle. He played in only four games that season. He returned as a starter in 1974

The Bengals traded Walters and quarterback Wayne Clark to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for quarterback John Reaves and a 1976 second-round draft pick (which was used on guard Glenn Bujnoch) on July 3, 1975. Walters considered a meeting with head coach Dick Vermeil before the 1976 season as the critical moment in his playing career. Vermeil, who had just been hired by the Eagles, told Walters that if he did not start playing better he would be released. Walters said, "It shook me up. It definitely made a difference." Harvey Martin, a defensive end who played for the Dallas Cowboys and frequently played against Walters, called Walters the smartest offensive tackle in the league during his career. In 1980 he did not allow any sacks as the team's largest player at . He injured his back in the first half of the 1981 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, but took a painkiller shot to go back into the game to help the team rush for 263 yards and advance to the Super Bowl. However, when his replacement, Dean Miraldi, suffered a sprained knee in the next preseason game, Walters ended his week-long retirement to re-join the Eagles on August 15. The contract offered to him included a clause that the organization would put up a barn next to his house. He re-injured his knee against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 25 and had to leave the game. Before the November 20 game against the New York Giants, Walters was benched, along with four other starters, by head coach Marion Campbell in an attempt to rejuvenate the team with younger players after five straight losses. He finished the season with ten starts in twelve games.

After football After retiring from football again after the 1983 season, Walters worked alongside Merrill Reese as a radio color commentator for the Eagles from 1984 to 1997 before he moved to Cobham, England when his wife, Kathy, got transferred in her job in the paper industry. The couple had previously lived in Alpharetta, Georgia. He and his wife lived in England for five years while Walters raised their two children. , Walters resides in Atlanta, Georgia.