- Willie Burden
NFL player
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DateOfBirth=
Birthplace=Raleigh, North Carolina , USA
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College=North Carolina State University
Position=Running back
DraftedYear=1974
DraftedRound=6 / Pick 139
(By theDetroit Lions )
Career Highlights=Y
CFLAllStar=1975
Awards=1975 CFL MOP
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years=1974-1981
teams=Calgary Stampeders
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CFHOF=24&player=Burden,%20WillieDr. Willie Burden, Ed.D is a former professional
Canadian football player with theCalgary Stampeders of theCanadian Football League and is currently an academic and sports administrator.Burden, a
running back , was made a member of the Calgary Stampeder's Wall of Fame in 1992, and was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2006, Burden was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.cite web | url = http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/feature/?fid=10855 | accessdate = 2007-07-02 | author = | title = TSN Top 50 Honour Roll | publisher = TSN.ca | date = 2006-11-28]College career
Following an outstanding
high school football career at Raleigh'sEnloe High School , Burden attendedNorth Carolina State University , where he played from 1971 to 1973 on scholarship. He rushed for 2,529 yards, 7th best in Wolfpack history. He was the 1973Atlantic Coast Conference Football Player of the Year. He graduated with abachelor's degree inEconomics .Following graduation, Burden was drafted twice in 1974, by the
NFL 'sDetroit Lions in the 6th round (139th overall) and by theWorld Football League 'sPortland Storm , in the 17th round (198 overall.) Regardless,Canada would be his eventual professional football destination.Professional football career
The
Calgary Stampeders would be Burden's home for eight seasons, between 1974 and 1981. He thrilled fans in his first season, rushing for 541 yards on 94 carries, but it was in his second season that he broke team and league records. He set a new CFL single season rushing record, running 332 times for 1896 yards. His best day was November 2 against theWinnipeg Blue Bombers , when he tiedLovell Coleman 's team record of 238 yards in a game. Burden was rewarded with theCFL's Most Outstanding Player Award and All Canadian All Star honours in 1975. Burden was also named an All West All Star in 1977.Upon his retirement, Burden had rushed for 6,234 yards, fourth best in Stampeders history after
Kelvin Anderson ,Earl Lunsford and Coleman.He has since received many honours. His jersey number #10 was retired by the Stamps in 1982. He was added to their Wall of Fame in 1992, and was inducted into the
Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2001. Though small in size, at 5 foot 10 inches and a bruising 218 pounds, he is remembered fondly in Canada.Post-football career
Burden's post pro football life has been equally successful. He received his
master's degree in sports administration fromOhio University while working as an assistant football coach and instructor in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation. From 1984 to 1988 he served as Assistant Athletics Director atTennessee Technological University while working on his doctorate in education atTennessee State University (Ed.D) which he received in 1990. In 1988, Burden returned toOhio University to serve as Assistant Athletic Director. In 1990, he became the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Instructor of Health and Physical Education forNorth Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University .Presently he is an Associate Professor in Sports Management at
Georgia Southern University . His research has been published in several academic journals.In 2005 Burden received another special honour, being inducted into Hall of Fame for the
Boys & Girls Clubs of America ofRaleigh, North Carolina , for his lifetime of good works.Burden currently resides in
Statesboro, Georgia , with his wife, Velma, and children Willie, Jr. and Freddie. He also has a grown daughter, Courtney.References
External links
* [http://chhs.georgiasouthern.edu/hospitality/faculty_staff.html Georgia Southern University, Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Family & Consumer Sciences Faculty Biography]
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