{{Short description|American football player (born 1944)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Use American English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Cecil Turner | image = | alt = | caption = | number = 21 | position = Wide receiver, return specialist | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|4|2}} | birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 10 | weight_lb = 176 | high_school = Spingarn {{nowrap|(Washington, D.C.)}} | college = Pratt (1964–1965)<br>Cal Poly (1966–1967) | draftyear = 1968 | draftround = 5 | draftpick = 127 | pastteams = * Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1968|1973}}) | highlights = * Pro Bowl (1970) ; NFL record * Most kickoff return touchdowns in a season: 4 (1970) | statlabel1 = Receptions | statvalue1 = 21 | statlabel2 = Receiving yards | statvalue2 = 364 | statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns | statvalue3 = 2 | statlabel4 = Return yards | statvalue4 = 2,730 | statlabel5 = Return touchdowns | statvalue5 = 4 }}
'''Cecil Turner''' (born April 2, 1944) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for six seasons for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL).
He was selected to the 1971 Pro Bowl, when he tied a record (set in 1967 by Travis Williams) by returning four kickoffs for touchdowns, a record that still stands.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 12, 1971 |title=Ex-Poly gridder Turner to play in Pro Bowl |pages=6 |work=San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune}}</ref>
He was twice the NCAA College Division long jump champion while attending Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo, and one-time 100-meter champion.
== Early life == Turner was born on April 2, 1944, in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Spingarn High School in Washington D.C.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Cecil Turner Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TurnCe00.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was a member of Spingarn's track team, where he was a sprinter (100- and 200-yard dashes and half-mile relay), and participated in the high jump and broad jump.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lessor |first=Tom |date=May 25, 1963 |title=Eastern Coasts to Crown |work=The Washington Daily News |pages=15}}</ref>
== College career ==
=== Track and field === Turner started his college career as a track and field standout. Competing for Pratt College (then known as Pratt Junior College), he won the 1964 NJCAA 100-yard dash title, with a time of 9.5 seconds at the meet hosted in Big Spring, Texas.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nettleship |first=Johnny |date=September 16, 1966 |title=Cal Poly's running game boosted by Ratley, Turner |pages=10 |work=San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune}}</ref> He continued to excel in track after transferring to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, bettering his time to 9.3 seconds in the 100-yard dash,<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=August 31, 1967 |title=Cal Poly Mustangs Expect Stronger Offensive Line |work=The Arroyo Grande Valley Herald Recorder (Arroyo Grande, California) |pages=5}}</ref> and ultimately leading the Mustangs to the 1968 NCAA College Division outdoor track and field team national title.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 5, 1968 |title=Poly's Turner impressive in pro start with Bears |pages=8 |work=San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune}}</ref>
In February 1967, as a junior, he won the 60-yard dash at the Golden Gate Invitational Track Meet (6.1 seconds).<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 18, 1967 |title=Lindgren in Revenge Win Over Clarke |work=The Record (Stockton, California) |pages=27, 29 |agency=United Press International}}</ref> At the 1967 NCAA College Division championship track and field meet, Turner won the long jump (24 ft 5 in, 7.44 m) individually, and anchored Cal Poly's championship 440-yard relay team. He was third in the 100-yard dash (9.4 seconds), and fourth in the 220-yard dash (21.3 seconds).<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 11, 1967 |title=Final Results in College Division |work=The Ogden Standard-Examiner (Ogden, Utah) |pages=25}}</ref>
In 1968, Turner was captain of Cal Poly's track team as a senior. During his final amateur track meet in June 1968, at the NCAA College Division track and field championship, Turner was selected as the most valuable athlete and led Cal Poly to the national championship. He won the 100-meter race (10.3 seconds) and the long jump (24 ft 3.5 in, 7.4 m) individually, and was second in the 200-meter race. He also ran the first leg for Cal Poly's championship 440-relay team.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Shaw |first=Wayne |date=June 10, 1968 |title=Turner leads Poly to NCAA track championship |work=Telegram-Tribune (San Luis Obispo, California) |pages=6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 10, 1968 |title=Gary Tuttle Sets NCAA Track Mark |work=Ventura County Star-Free Press (Ventura, California) |pages=B-2}}</ref>
=== Football === Turner played football for two years at Cal Poly at split end and as a kick returner, under coach Sheldon Harden.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Smolich |first=Marco |date=September 20, 1967 |title=Mustangs Loss Is 'Aid' Against SSC |work=The Sacramento Bee |pages=F1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-26 |title=Sheldon Harden (1991) - Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame |url=https://gopoly.com/honors/cal-poly-athletics-hall-of-fame/sheldon-harden/54 |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Cal Poly |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 4, 1967 |title=Western in tough contest |work=Daily Times-Advocate (Escondido, California) |pages=A-12}}</ref> His best season came as a junior in 1966. Turner had 16 receptions for 366 yards (a 22.9-yard average) and two touchdowns. His receptions included, among others, catches of 67 and 72 yards.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 13, 1966 |title=Cal Poly Nips Santa Clara in Fourth Period |work=Santa Barbara News Press |pages=C-4 |agency=VNS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 31, 1966 |title=Forty-Niners Smack Mustangs |work=Telegram-Tribune (San Luis Obispo, California) |pages=9}}</ref> In late October 1966, he returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown against San Fernando Valley State College.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 24, 1966 |title=Harden aids review winning slate |work=The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, California) |pages=11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Christie |first=John |date=October 25, 1966 |title=Mustangs Gallop Past Valley State, 28–22 |work=The News (Van Nuys, California) |pages=31}}</ref> In an early November 1966 game against Cal State Los Angeles, Turner saved the game for Cal Poly when he chased down Cal State's kickoff returner by tackling him at the Cal Poly eight-yard line after an 80-yard return; knocking two Cal State players aside to make the game-saving tackle.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 7, 1966 |title=Cal State Blows its Lead to Lose 14–10 |work=Los Angeles Evening Citizen-News |pages=B-3}}</ref>
In 1967, midway through his senior football season for Cal Poly, Turner was hailed as "the fastest college football player in the nation," as he accumulated four touchdowns through the first four games of the year.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 13, 1967 |title=Mr. Swift |url=https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2340&context=studentnewspaper |access-date=September 8, 2022 |work=Mustang Daily |pages=4}}</ref> He missed a number of games, however, because of a knee injury. He also missed most of a mid-September loss to San Francisco State (SFS) when he was ejected in the first quarter, in a game where Cal Poly was called for 13 penalties for 116 yards, and SFS was called for one penalty for five yards. He was able to return for the final game of the season against the University of California, Santa Barbara in late November 1967, in which he made a spectacular 34-yard reception for a touchdown. On the season, he had 11 receptions for 269 yards (24.5 yards per catch) and six touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 21, 1967 |title=Cal Poly Player Chosen For Potato Bowl Squad |work=Grover City Press (Grover City, California) |pages=6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 26, 1967 |title=Cal Poly Rips UCSB, 30–14 |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |pages=11}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 30, 1967 |title=Cal Poly Mustangs Stomp Gauchos in Season Finale |work=Pismo Times (Pismo Beach, California) |pages=5}}</ref>
Despite missing games in 1967, United Press International (UPI) still made him an honorable mention Little All-Coast Football Team.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 5, 1967 |title=Jack Wool selected on Little All-Coast Team |work=The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, California) |pages=6}}</ref> Turner was selected to participate in the Shrine-sponsored North-South California collegiate all-star game, known as the Potato Bowl.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 7, 1967 |title=All-Stars Take Over Potato Bowl |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=D-6 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> He was later elected to the Cal Poly Hall of Fame in 1989.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Wallner |first=Peter J. |date=September 30, 1989 |title=Cal Poly comes through for Turner |pages=B-1 |work=San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune}}</ref>
== Professional career == Turner was selected in the fifth round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft by the Chicago Bears.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Neel |first=Don |date=February 2, 1968 |title=Chicago Bears draft Cecil Turner |pages=4 |work=Mustang Daily |url=https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2367&context=studentnewspaper |access-date=September 8, 2022}}</ref> He could have chosen to remain an amateur and tried out for the 1968 U.S. Olympic team, but chose to play professional football instead, calling it a tough decision at the time.<ref name=":0" />
As a rookie in 1968, Turner returned punts and kickoffs for the Bears; and was a full-time starting receiver for the only time in his career. From 1969 through his final season in 1973, he only had seven total pass receptions.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=1968 Chicago Bears Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1968.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6" /> In the fifth game of the season, he had an 80-yard touchdown reception against the Detroit Lions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears - October 13th, 1968 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196810130chi.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> On the season, he returned nine punts and 20 kickoffs, and had 14 receptions for 408 yards (14.9 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.<ref name=":4" /> In 1969, sharing kickoff return duties with future Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gale Sayers {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/gale-sayers |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref> among others, he had 10 returns for 326 yards, to go along with eight punt returns. He only had one reception on the year, and played in only nine games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1969 Chicago Bears Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1969.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
Tuner's breakout, and best, season as a kickoff returner came in 1970. He returned 23 kickoffs for 752 yards, averaging 32.7 yards per return (second highest in the NFL to Jim Duncan's 35.4 average). He led the NFL with four touchdown returns on kickoffs, and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=1970 Chicago Bears Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1970.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1970 NFL Kick & Punt Returns |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1970/returns.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> In the first game of the 1970 season, he returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown against the New York Giants in the first quarter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago Bears at New York Giants - September 19th, 1970 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197009190nyg.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hand |first=Jack |date=September 20, 1970 |title=Bears Claw Giants, 24–16 |work=The Times (Hammond, Indiana) |pages=1E |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The next week, on September 27, Turner returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears - September 27th, 1970 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197009270chi.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 28, 1970 |title=Cincinnati's Kids Clawed by Lions |work=Santa Barbara News-Press |pages=12-13}}</ref> On November 1, he had a 94-yard kickoff return against the Atlanta Falcons for a touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons - November 1st, 1970 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197011010atl.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> On December 5, he had an 88-yard touchdown return against the Minnesota Vikings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings - December 5th, 1970 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197012050min.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was second on the Bears in total kickoff returns, to Ron Smith's 28.<ref name=":5" />
In 1971, Turner returned nine punts for 63 yards, and a career-high 31 kickoffs, for 639 yards; but his longest kickoff return was for 40 yards. In 1972, he returned 16 kickoffs for 409 yards, with his longest 57 yards. In his final season, 1973, Turner had only eight kickoff returns for 127 yards.<ref name=":6" />
In August 1974, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for Dick Witcher and John Isenbarger.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Corona |first=Al |date=August 16, 1974 |title=Nolan will deal for linemen |work=The San Francisco Examiner |pages=55}}</ref> The 49ers waived Turner before the start of the 1974 season.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 11, 1974 |title=Football, National League, Pro Transactions |work=The Sacramento Bee |pages=B6}}</ref> He then signed with the Florida Blazers of the World Football League.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 19, 1974 |title=Blazers Sign Cecil Turner |work=The Times (San Mateo, California) |pages=24 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 18, 1974 |title=Blazers Eye Improved Pass Attack |work=The Des Moines Register |pages=2-S |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1974 Florida Blazers Roster |url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/roster/t-WFLFLO/y-1974 |website=StatsCrew.com}}</ref> The Blazers played in the first WFL championship game, but the team was on the verge of bankruptcy and failed to pay its players regularly during the year, folding after its first season.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ammerman |first=Craig |date=December 5, 1974 |title=Unpaid Teams Clash Tonight In World Bowl |work=The Huntsville Times (Huntsville, Alabama) |pages=42 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kornheiser |first=Tony |date=July 1975 |title=The Florida Blazers Are Dead, But The Memories [And Debts] Linger |work=Sport Magazine}}</ref>
== Legacy == Turner's four kickoff touchdown returns is tied for the NFL's all-time record in a season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Kick Returns for Touchdown Single-Season Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/kick_ret_td_single_season.htm |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Larry Mayer ranked Turner as the seventh-greatest return specialist in Bears history on the team's official website, noting his 32.7-yard average for the 1970 season as second only to Gale Sayers' 37.7 yards per return in 1967.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top 10: Bears return specialists |url=https://www.chicagobears.com/photos/top-10-bears-return-specialists |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=www.chicagobears.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2010, Bleacher Report selected Turner as an honorable mention in the kickoff return position to their all-time Bears team, with the spot going to Gale Sayers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Curts |first=Jeff |title=Meet The All-Time Chicago Bears Team |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/399956-my-all-time-chicago-bears-team |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.footballdb.com/players/cecil-turner-turnece01 Football Database]
{{Bears1968DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, Cecil}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:American football return specialists Category:American football wide receivers Category:Cal Poly Mustangs football players Category:Cal Poly Mustangs men's track and field athletes Category:Chicago Bears players Category:Florida Blazers players Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players Category:Pratt Community College alumni Category:Players of American football from Washington, D.C.