Buchanan, "Buck" (Junious)
Football
b. Sept. 10, 1940, Gainesville, AL
d. July 16, 1992
A Little All-American tackle in 1962, Buchanan played both offense and defense at Grambling State University. He also played basketball and ran the 440-yard dash in track.
The first player chosen in the American Football League draft, by the Dallas Texans, Buchanan was a first-round draft pick of the NFL's New York Giants. He chose to sign with the Dallas team, which moved to Kansas City and became known as the Chiefs before the 1963 season.
The 6-foot-8 Buchanan played at anywhere between 250 and 270 pounds while in college, but his weight often reached 300 pounds during his professional career. He had the strength to push offensive linemen right into the backfield, along with the speed and agility to spin around blockers to get to the passer.
Buchanan was also very durable: He played in 181 of a possible 182 regular season games during his 13-season professional career.
Named to the All-AFL team from 1966 through 1970, Buchanan played in six consecutive AFL All-Star games, from 1964 through 1969, and in two Pro Bowls after the AFL and NFL merged in 1970. He was a defensive star on the Kansas City teams that appeared in two Super Bowls.
Green Bay Packer guard Jerry Kramer said that Buchanan was the defensive player who most worried the Packers when they prepared for Super Bowl II. The Packers won that game 33-14, but the Kansas City defense dominated Super Bowl IV, when the Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 16-7.
Buchanan retired after the 1975 season. He later served as director of the Kansas Special Olympics and as an assistant coach with the New Orleans Saints and the Cleveland Browns.