{{Short description|American football player (1950–2019)}} {{good article}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | image =Hise Austin 1973.png | caption =Austin in 1973 | alt = | number = 27, 21 | position = Cornerback | birth_date = {{birth date|1950|9|8}} | birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|6|4|1950|9|8}} | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 4 | weight_lb = 191 | high_school = M. C. Williams (Texas) | college = Wiley (1969)<br>Prairie View A&M (1969–1972) | draftyear = 1973 | draftround = 8 | draftpick = 202 | pastteams = * Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1973}}) * Portland Storm (1974) * Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|1975}})* * Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1975}}) * San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1977}})* | statlabel1 = Games played | statvalue1 = 12 | pfr = AustHi20 }} '''Hise Austin''' (September 8, 1950 – June 4, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a cornerback for two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football and ran track for the Prairie View A&M Panthers, winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship in the 440-yard dash while being an All-SWAC performer in football. Austin was selected by the Packers in the eighth round of the 1973 NFL draft and played one season for them. He spent the 1974 season with the Portland Storm of the World Football League (WFL) before returning to the NFL in 1975, briefly being a member of the Dallas Cowboys before appearing in the final three games of the season for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was later a member of the San Francisco 49ers.
==Early life and college career== Austin was born on September 8, 1950, in Houston, Texas, United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AustHi20.htm|title=Hise Austin|website=Pro Football Reference|access-date=April 28, 2026}}</ref> He attended M. C. Williams High School in Houston where he played football and ran track.<ref name="auto8">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-post/195367924/|newspaper=The Houston Post|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 26, 1967|page=31|title=All-Zone II First Team}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-chronicle/195368187/|newspaper=The Houston Chronicle|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 12, 1968|page=67|title=Schoolboy Track}}</ref> In football, he played as a back before switching to end as a senior in 1968.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-post/195368244/|newspaper=The Houston Post|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 25, 1968|page=76|title=Williams Starts Rebuilding}}</ref> He was an honorable mention All-Zone II performer at Williams.<ref name="auto8"/> Austin graduated from high school in January 1969 and afterwards enrolled at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, as "it was the nearest school to Houston to offer me a scholarship".<ref name="auto2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-chronicle/195369398/|newspaper=The Houston Chronicle|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 11, 1971|page=79|title=Wiley's Loss Of Hise Austin Panthers' Gain|author=Johnson, Ellis}}</ref> He competed for Wiley's track team that year, but when the school announced that they were discontinuing their football program, he transferred to Prairie View A&M College following the spring semester.<ref name="auto2"/>
At Prairie View A&M, Austin played for the football team as a cornerback and safety.<ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto5">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette/195369186/|newspaper=Green Bay Press-Gazette|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 22, 1974|page=2|agency=Associated Press|title=Packer Austin To Join Storm}}</ref> After starting three games at cornerback as a freshman in 1969, he became the full-time starter in 1970 and was selected honorable mention All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).<ref name="auto2"/> He remained a starter and was named second-team All-SWAC as a senior in 1972.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-delta-democrat-times/132046788/|newspaper=The Delta Democrat Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 22, 1972|page=12|title=Alcorn paces All-SWAC}}</ref> Austin was also selected to small college All-America teams in both football and track.<ref name="auto5"/> In track, he served as the anchor of the school's mile relay team and helped them rank second nationally for a time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette/195437554/|newspaper=Green Bay Press-Gazette|via=Newspapers.com|date=January 31, 1973|page=27|title=Packers Choose Defensive Back Hise Austin}}</ref> During the 1971 season, he was part of a Prairie View mile relay team that set the college division record, while in one meet he recorded a relay leg time of 45.4-seconds in the event.<ref name="auto2"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register/195437687/|newspaper=The Des Moines Register|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 18, 1971|page=36|title=Matson Shot Put Mark Tops Feuerbach}}</ref> He also competed in the 220-yard dash and the 440-yard dash in college, winning the 1972 SWAC championship in the latter with a time of 45.2.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oshkosh-northwestern/195438166/|newspaper=The Oshkosh Northwestern|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 19, 1973|page=27|title=Devin's praise gives Austin's chances big boost|author=Langenkamp, Don}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent/195440107/|newspaper=The Post-Crescent|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 28, 1973|page=10|title=Hise Austin confident he can play|author=Remmel, Lee|author-link=Lee Remmel}}</ref> Austin was later inducted into the Prairie View A&M Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-chronicle/195445558/|newspaper=The Houston Chronicle|via=Newspapers.com|date=June 2, 1998|page=28|title=Colleges}}</ref>
==Professional career== Austin was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the eighth round (202nd overall) of the 1973 NFL draft.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/a/aust00800.html#gsc.tab=0|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=April 11, 2026|title=Hise Austin Stats}}</ref> He was reported to have been able to run the 40-yard dash in 4.4-seconds, which the ''Wisconsin State Journal'' described as "the kind of statistic that makes pro scouts' mouths water".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal/195439248/|newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 27, 1973|page=21|title=Austin Is Singing|author=Shapiro, Mark}}</ref> He also ran the 100-yard dash in 9.3-seconds.<ref name="auto5"/> Standing at {{convert|6|ft|4|in}} and weighing {{convert|187|lb|kg}}, Austin made the team for the 1973 season and appeared in nine games as a backup, while the Packers compiled a record of 5–7–2.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/1973nflgb.html#gsc.tab=0|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=April 12, 2026|title=1973 Green Bay Packers (NFL)}}</ref> On July 21, 1974, he signed a future contract with the Portland Storm of the World Football League (WFL), agreeing to join the team in 1975 while staying with the Packers in 1974.<ref name="auto5"/><ref name="auto1"/> He signed with the Storm over frustration of not seeing significant playing time with the Packers, saying that, "I was unhappy. I was young and wanted to play. I was in a situation where they had Willie Buchanon and Ken Ellis and both are young ... If I had to sit around and wait for them to get old, I would have been old and still waiting because I am only a year behind them in age. So I decided the best thing for me to do was leave and try to go someplace else. The World Football League came up and I signed ... with them".<ref name="auto4">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram/195442240/|newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 15, 1975|page=15|title=Cash makes Austin happy|author=Kaye, Roger}}</ref>
Austin was later released by the Packers at the start of the 1974 season, leading to him to join the Storm for the rest of the year.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oregon-journal/195441061/|newspaper=Oregon Journal|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 13, 1974|page=21|title=Ex-Packer Hise Austin Storm-Bound|author=Nolen, John}}</ref> He appeared in nine games for the Storm, posting one interception while returning three kickoffs for 82 yards, as the team compiled a record of 7–12–1.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/1974wflpor.html|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=April 12, 2026|title=1974 Portland Storm (WFL)}}</ref> He did not return to the team for the 1975 season.<ref name="auto1"/> He told the ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' that he did not return due to the issues the league had in paying its players, saying that he did not receive any money for the entire 1974 WFL season.<ref name="auto4"/> He said he only received half of a promised bonus for signing with the team: "Supposedly I was supposed to get the other half when I went back in '75. But I decided not to go back. So I just played all of last year for nothing".<ref name="auto4"/> Nevertheless, Austin said he had no regrets joining the league: "No. I'm not bitter. It was a new league and a new experience and I was able to play and start. And that was a privilege".<ref name="auto4"/>
Austin returned to the NFL and signed with the Dallas Cowboys on March 4, 1975.<ref name="auto7">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean/195441592/|newspaper=The Tennessean|via=Newspapers.com|date=March 5, 1975|page=17|title=Dallas Signs Storm Star Hise Austin|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Gil Brandt, who led the team's scouting department, said that, "In our evaluation, he was the best defensive back in the WFL".<ref name="auto7"/> He was limited by a pinched nerve in his hip and was waived by the Cowboys before the regular season.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star/195443940/|newspaper=The Kansas City Star|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 5, 1975|page=19|title=Chiefs a Break For Hise Austin|author=Jordan, Gerald B.}}</ref> Afterwards, he began working in Houston as a substitute teacher.<ref name="auto3"/> On December 3, 1975, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after several of the team's cornerbacks were injured.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto3"/> Austin saw significant playing time in the Chiefs' last three games of the 1975 season, posting one fumble recovery.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto6">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star/195444194/|newspaper=The Kansas City Star|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 18, 1976|page=12|title=Hise Rises Through Thinning Ranks|author=Richardson, Bill}}</ref> He was initially re-signed for 1976 but was then released before the regular season.<ref name="auto6"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-times/195444442/|newspaper=The Kansas City Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 31, 1976|page=20|title=Chiefs Notes}}</ref> Austin was later briefly a member of the San Francisco 49ers during the 1977 offseason to conclude his career.<ref name="auto1"/> He finished with 12 NFL games played.<ref name="auto1"/>
==Later life and death== After his playing career, Austin worked at Wheatley High School in Houston, where he led the history department and served as assistant football coach under Ken Houston.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-chronicle/195445395/|newspaper=The Houston Chronicle|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 3, 1987|page=45|title=Ken Houston is now an inspiration to athletes at Wheatley|author=Farmer, Neal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-post/195445444/|newspaper=The Houston Post|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 25, 1994|page=89|title=Students help restore historic value of old, black cemetery|author=Gangelhoff, Bonnie}}</ref> He also was a pastor.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/hise-austin-obituary?pid=193079121|website=Legacy.com|title=Hise Austin Obituary|date=June 2019|access-date=April 12, 2026}}</ref> Austin died on June 4, 2019, at the age of 68.<ref name="auto"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Green Bay Packers 1973 NFL draft picks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Austin, Hise}} Category:Green Bay Packers players Category:Portland Storm players Category:Kansas City Chiefs players Category:Players of American football from Houston Category:American football defensive backs Category:American football wide receivers Category:Prairie View A&M Panthers football players Category:1950 births Category:Living people