{{Short description|American football player (1944–2009)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox gridiron football biography | name = Austin Denney | number = 84 | position = Tight end | birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|1|2}} | birth_place = Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|1|20|1944|1|2}} | death_place = Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 2 | weight_lb = 230 | high_school = Donelson (Nashville) | college = Tennessee (1962–1966) | draftyear = 1966 | draftround = 11 | draftpick = 160 | afldraftyear = 1966 | afldraftround = Red Shirt 2 | afldraftpick = 14 | pastteams = * Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|1967}})* * Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1967|1969}}) * Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1970|1971}}) | highlights = * First-team All-American (1966) * Second-team All-SEC (1966) | statlabel1 = Receptions | statvalue1 = 71 | statlabel2 = Receiving yards | statvalue2 = 764 | statlabel3 = Touchdowns | statvalue3 = 3 | pfr = DennAu00 }}
'''Austin Cheek Denney Jr.''' (January 2, 1944 – January 20, 2009) was an American professional football tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at the University of Tennessee.
==Early life== Denney attended Donelson High School, where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He accepted a football scholarship from the University of Tennessee.
As a junior, he was moved from fullback to tight end, becoming a starter, while posting 14 receptions for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns. As a senior, he posted 21 receptions for 264 yards and 7 receiving touchdowns (school record for tight ends). He finished his college career with 35 receptions for 470 yards and 9 touchdowns (school record for tight ends).<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 22, 2009 |title=Vols Mourn Loss of Former All-America Tight End Denney |url=https://utsports.com/news/2009/1/22/Vols_Mourn_Loss_of_Former_All_America_Tight_End_Denney.aspx |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=University of Tennessee Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
==Professional career== Denney was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the eleventh round (160th overall) of the 1966 NFL draft with a future draft pick, which allowed the team to draft him before his college eligibility was over.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1966 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1966/draft.htm |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}</ref> He also was selected in the redshirt round 2 (14th overall) of the 1966 AFL draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1966 AFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1966_AFL/draft.htm |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}</ref> On September 6, 1967, he was traded along with Mac Percival to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a third round draft choice (#71-Ed Harmon).<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 13, 1968 |title=Talented Toe Could Give Bears Title |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19681213&id=xwpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TeEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5615,3629299&hl=es |access-date=February 19, 2019 |website=Eugene Register-Guard|via=Google News|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
In 1967, Denney became a starter at tight end for the Chicago Bears. His best season was 1968, when he registered 23 receptions for 247 yards and two touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Austin Denney 1968 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DennAu00/gamelog/1968/ |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}</ref> He was released on September 1, 1970.
On September 2, 1970, he was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1697&dat=19700901&id=YkMgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HZcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5631,401094&hl=es | title=Baker Cut By Philadelphia | accessdate=February 19, 2019}}</ref> He was named the starter at tight end, making 14 receptions for 201 yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Austin Denney 1970 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DennAu00/gamelog/1970/ |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}</ref> He was released on September 15, 1971.
==Personal life== On January 20, 2009, he died from an undisclosed illness.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 22, 2009 |title=Former Vol Tight End Austin Denney Passes Away |url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2009/1/22/143089/Former-Vol-Tight-End-Austin-Denney.aspx |access-date=February 19, 2019 |website=Chattanoogan.com}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{Cowboys1966DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Denney, Austin}} Category:1944 births Category:2009 deaths Category:Players of American football from Nashville, Tennessee Category:American football tight ends Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players Category:Chicago Bears players Category:Buffalo Bills players Category:American United Methodists Category:20th-century Methodists Category:20th-century American sportsmen