{{Short description|American football player (born 1958)}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2016}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Del Thompson | number = 39 | position = [[Running back]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|2|21}} | birth_place = [[Kermit, Texas]], U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 0 | weight_lb = 203 | high_school = [[Hamlin High School|Hamlin]] ([[Hamlin, Texas]]) | college = [[UTEP Miners football|UTEP]] | draftyear = 1982 | draftround = 5 | draftpick = 130 | pastteams = * [[Kansas City Chiefs]] ({{NFL Year|1982}}–{{NFL Year|1983}}) * [[New York Jets]] ({{NFL Year|1984}})* | statlabel1 = [[Carry (gridiron football)|Rushing yards]] | statvalue1 = 7 | statlabel2 = Rushing average | statvalue2 = 1.8 | pfr = T/ThomDe22 }}
'''Delbert Ray Thompson''' (born February 21, 1958) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[running back]] for one season with the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He was selected by the Chiefs in the fifth round of the [[1982 NFL draft]]. He played [[college football]] at the [[University of Texas at Austin]], [[Ranger College]] and the [[University of Texas at El Paso]].
==Early life and college== Delbert Ray Thompson was born on February 21, 1958, in [[Kermit, Texas]].<ref name="pfa">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/t/thom20200.html | title=DEL THOMPSON | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=15 May 2025}}</ref> He attended [[Hamlin High School]] in [[Hamlin, Texas]].<ref name="pfa"/>
Thompson first played [[college football]] for the [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas Longhorns]] of the [[University of Texas at Austin]] in 1977, totaling five carries for 32 yards, one reception for 18 yards, and one punt return for two yards.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/delbert-thompson-1.html?__hstc=223721476.e71369d540d3828da9addf3ae0a04d4c.1747310216622.1747310216622.1747315840933.2&__hssc=223721476.5.1747315840933&__hsfp=1623487770 | title=Delbert Thompson | publisher=[[Sports Reference]] | accessdate=15 May 2025}}</ref> He later transferred to [[Ranger College]].<ref name="pfa"/> He was then a two-year [[letterman (sports)|letterman]] for the [[UTEP Miners football|UTEP Miners]] of the [[University of Texas at El Paso]] from 1980 to 1981.<ref name="pfa"/>
==Professional career== Thompson was selected by the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] in the fifth round, with the 130th overall pick, of the [[1982 NFL draft]].<ref name="pfr">{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomDe22.htm | title=Del Thompson | publisher=[[Pro Football Reference]] | accessdate=15 May 2025}}</ref> He played in six games for the Chiefs during the [[1982 NFL season|1982 season]], recording four carries for seven yards, two kick returns for 41 yards, and one fumble recovery.<ref name="pfr"/> He was placed on the injured reserve list on August 23, 1983.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/24/sports/transactions-119571.html |title=Transactions |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 24, 1983 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20160920143751/http://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/24/sports/transactions-119571.html |archivedate=September 20, 2016 |url-status=live |accessdate=September 20, 2016 |df=mdy }}</ref> Thompson was waived on March 20, 1984.<ref name="transactions">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/t/thom20200.html | title=Del Thompson Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=15 May 2025}}</ref>
Thompson was claimed on waivers by the [[New York Jets]] on April 10, 1984.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/11/sports/transactions-115678.html |title=Transactions |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 11, 1984 |accessdate=July 23, 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723183326/http://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/11/sports/transactions-115678.html |archivedate=July 23, 2015}}</ref> He was released by the Jets on July 13, 1984.<ref name="transactions"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/delbert-thompson-1.html College stats]
{{Chiefs1982DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Del}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1958 births]] [[Category:Players of American football from Texas]] [[Category:American football running backs]] [[Category:Texas Longhorns football players]] [[Category:Ranger Rangers football players]] [[Category:UTEP Miners football players]] [[Category:Kansas City Chiefs players]] [[Category:New York Jets players]] [[Category:People from Kermit, Texas]] [[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]] [[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]