Zeke Moore (American football)

Last updated

Zeke Moore
No. 22
Position: Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (1943-12-02) December 2, 1943 (age 81)
Tuskegee, Alabama, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:198 lb (90 kg)
Career information
College: Lincoln (MO)
NFL draft: 1967: 5th round, 127th pick
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:24
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Zeke Moore (born December 2, 1943) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back for the American Football League (AFL)'s Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) from 1967 to 1969, and for the National Football League (NFL)'s Oilers from 1970 through 1977. Moore returned 14 kicks for 405 yards as a rookie. Before his professional career, Moore played college football for the Lincoln Blue Tigers. He was a Houston Texans ambassador for five years. [1]

Contents

Early life

Moore was born on December 2, 1943, in Tuskegee, Alabama. He attended Booker T. Washington High School and/or Tuskegee Laboratory High School, where he played football, baseball and basketball, and was a member of the track team. [2] [3] He was twice selected All-State and All-District in basketball, and was also team captain those two years. Moore was named to the All-Star Team in 1963's eight-state National High School Basketball Tournament, played in Nashville, Tennessee. [3] [4] He was the football team's captain during his senior year. [3]

College

Moore attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. He played on the football team at halfback, defensive back, kickoff returner and punt returner from 1963-66 under coach Dwight Reed. In 1964, at 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) and 190 pounds (86.2 kg), he led Lincoln in scoring with 10 touchdowns (60 points) and had a 60-yard run from scrimmage. On the season, he had 308 yards rushing in only 44 attempts (7.0 yards per carry). He averaged 30 yards on punt returns, and had a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown against Peru State College in a September game. On defense, he returned an interception 101 yards in a game against Arkansas Am&N (now University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) that year. [1] [5] [6] [7] [3] [8]

Moore was injured during most of the 1965 season. [9] In 1966, he was team co-captain. Moore had six interceptions in nine games that season. In November, Lincoln played in the second Gateway Classic Benefit Game against Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State University). [1] He returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in a November 1966 game against Kentucky State. [10]

Professional Football

The Houston Oilers selected Moore in the 5th round of the 1967 NFL/AFL draft (127th overall); and he played for the team over his entire 11 year career. In the NFL, he played at 6 ft 3 in (1.90 m), 198 pounds (89 kg). [11] [2]

Moore was used as a defensive back, kickoff and punt returner in his rookie season. In only his second game as a rookie, Moore returned a punt 46 yards to set up a touchdown, and another 34 yards to set up a field goal, in the Oilers 20–3 upset victory over the Buffalo Bills. [12] [13] He had a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs on October 22. [14] On the year, he did not start any games at cornerback, but returned five punts for 85 years (16.5 yards per return), and 14 kickoffs for 405 yards (28.9 yards per return). [15] He did not have enough kickoff returns to qualify for the league lead in average per return, which went to Noland Smith at 28.0 yards per return. [16] The Oilers won the AFL's Eastern division with a 9–4–1 record, losing in the AFL championship game to the Oakland Raiders. [17] Moore had three kickoff returns for 87 yards (29.0 yards per return) in that game. [18]

In his second season (1968), Moore remained a backup defensive back. He returned only one punt that season, but had 32 returns on kickoffs for 787 yards. [19] In 1969, he played in 13 games, starting nine at right cornerback, and was not used for kickoff or punt returns. He had four interceptions, including a 51-yard interception against future Football Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, that he returned for a touchdown in an October 1969 game against the New York Jets. [20] [21] He was selected to the 1969 AFL All-Star team at cornerback, for the game played on January 17, 1970, in Houston. [22] This was the AFL's last game as an entity distinct from the original NFL. [23]

In 1970, Moore started all 14 games for the Oilers at right cornerback, with a career-high six interceptions on the season (tied for 9th best in the NFL). He returned seven kickoffs for 190 yards (27.1 yards per return). Moore was named to the American Football Conference's (AFC) 1970 Pro Bowl team. [24] [25] [26] [2] In 1971, Moore moved to left cornerback, with Willie Alexander starting the majority of his games at right cornerback. Moore had three interceptions, and returned ten kickoffs for 214 yards in 1971. [27]

In 1972, Moore broke his arm in a freak accident and played in only eight games (starting only four). He returned seven punts and one kickoff that year, the last returns of his career. In 1973, Moore started 11 games at left cornerback. He did not have an interception in 1972 or 1973. [2] [28] [29] [30] The Oilers had 1–13 records in both 1972 and 1973. [31]

In 1974, the Oilers had their best record (7–7) since 1969, under head coach Sid Gillman. Moore started all 14 games, playing right cornerback. He had two interceptions on the year, including a 22-yard touchdown return against the New York Jets in early November; the second time he had returned an interception against Joe Namath for a touchdown. [31] [32] [33]

Moore remained a starter at right cornerback for the final three seasons of his career with the Oilers (1975-77). The team's best record during his tenure came in 1975 (10–4). That year, Moore had five interceptions for 137 yards, including a 74-yard interception return on December 7 against the San Francisco 49ers. [2] [31] [34] [35] The Oilers released Moore in late August 1978, ending his career. [36]

Over his 11-year AFL/NFL career with the Oilers, Moore started 102 of the 145 games in which he played. He returned 64 kickoffs with a 25.3 yards per return average, with one touchdown return. He had 24 interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. [2]

Honors

In 1989, fans chose Moore to be included on the Houston Oilers 30th Anniversary Dream Team. [1]

In 2011, he was inducted into the Lincoln University Athletics Hall of Fame. [1]

Personal life

In 1971, Moore's father was killed by an automobile while walking in Tuskegee. [37]

Moore is currently the president of the Townwood Homeowners Association in Houston, and he is a Texas Registered Peace Officer.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ezekiel "Zeke" Moore - Class of 1967 - Hall of Fame - Lincoln University". Lincoln University of Missouri . Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Zeke Moore Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Sports Personality". The Lincoln Clarion. November 13, 1964. p. 3.
  4. "Nashville's Pear High Tops Eight-State Basketball Tourney". The St. Louis Argus. April 5, 1963. p. 10.
  5. "LU has four in pro ranks". Jefferson City Post-Tribune. September 26, 1973. p. 10.
  6. "Lincoln Tigers Enjoyed One of Finest Campaigns". The Sunday News and Tribune (Jefferson City, Missouri). December 9, 1964. p. 9.
  7. "Moore Runs 101". The Kansas City Star. September 27, 1964. p. 133.
  8. "Adams Leads Lincoln Attack As Tigers Defeat Bobcats". The Lincoln Clarion. September 25, 1964. p. 3.
  9. "Independents Not Sure What May Lie Ahead". The Kansas City Star. September 8, 1966. p. 15.
  10. "Lincoln Wins, 15–14". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 6, 1966. p. 49.
  11. "1967 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  12. "Oilers Upset Buffalo". Florence Morning News (Florence, South Carolina). September 18, 1967. p. 11.
  13. "Houston Oilers at Buffalo Bills - September 17th, 1967". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  14. Richardson, Bill (October 23, 1967). "Mistakes Cost Chiefs, Title Hopes Get Dim". The Kansas City Times. p. 27.
  15. "1967 Houston Oilers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  16. "1967 AFL Leaders and Leaderboards". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  17. "Houston Oilers 1967 Games and Schedule". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  18. "Championship - Houston Oilers at Oakland Raiders - December 31st, 1967". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  19. "1968 Houston Oilers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  20. "1969 Houston Oilers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  21. "Namath, Maynard Team to Spark Jets Over Oilers". Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada). October 21, 1969. p. 9.
  22. Tobias, Todd. "1970 AFL All-Star Game Rosters". Tales from the AFL. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  23. "Gridiron Glory at Union Station: "Jan Stenerud's 1970 AFL All-Star Jersey"". Kansas City Chiefs. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  24. "1970 Houston Oilers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  25. "1970 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  26. "1970 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  27. "1971 Houston Oilers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  28. "Peterson likes to win but is on slick spot with Oilers". The Columbus Telegram (Columbus, Nebraska). August 16, 1972. p. 17.
  29. "1972 Houston Oilers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  30. "1973 Houston Oilers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  31. 1 2 3 "Tennessee Titans Team Records, Leaders, and League Ranks". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  32. "1974 Houston Oilers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  33. "Late Houston TD beats Jets, 27–22". The Baltimore Sun (Associated Press). November 4, 1974. p. 32.
  34. "Oilers Stun 49er Runners". El Paso Times (Associated Press). December 8, 1975. p. 30.
  35. "Houston Oilers at San Francisco 49ers - December 7th, 1975". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  36. "Pro Transactions, Football, NFL". North Bay Nugget (North Bay, Ontario, Canada). August 30, 1978. p. 19.
  37. "Zeke Moore's father killed". The Houston Post. August 2, 1971. p. 62.