View source for Gene Mingo

{{Short description|American football player (born 1938)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name          = Gene Mingo
| image         = File:Gene Mingo.JPG
| number        = 21, 11, 16
| position      = [[Running back]] <br>[[Placekicker]] <br> [[Kick returner]]
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1938|09|22}}
| birth_place   = [[Akron, Ohio]], U.S.
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 2
| weight_lbs    = 216
| high_school   = [[South High School (Akron, Ohio)|Akron (OH) South]]
| college       = None
| undraftedyear = 1960
| pastteams     =
* [[Denver Broncos]] ([[1960 American Football League season|1960]]–[[1964 American Football League season|1964]])
* [[Oakland Raiders]] ([[1964 American Football League season|1964]]–[[1965 American Football League season|1965]])
* [[Miami Dolphins]] ([[1966 American Football League season|1966]]–[[1967 American Football League season|1967]])
* [[Washington Redskins]] ([[1967 American Football League season|1967]])
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] ({{NFL Year|1969}}–{{NFL Year|1970}})
| highlights    =
* 2× [[American Football League All-Star game|AFL All-Star]] (1960, 1962)
* 2× [[AFL scoring leader]] (1960, 1962)
* [[Denver Broncos#Ring of Honor|Denver Broncos Ring of Fame]]
;NFL record
* Most touchdown passes by a halfback, game: 2
| statlabel1  = [[Field goal]]s attempted / made
| statvalue1  = 112 / 219
| statlabel2  = Field goal percentage
| statvalue2  = 51.1%
| statlabel3  = Points scored
| statvalue3  = 629
| statlabel4 = Total touchdowns 
| statvalue4 = 13
| statlabel5  = Rushing yards
| statvalue5  = 777
| statlabel6 = Rushing average 
| statvalue6 = 4.2
| pfr           = M/MingGe20
}}
'''Eugene L. Mingo''' (born September 22, 1938) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who played in the [[American Football League]] (AFL) and [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played several positions including [[Halfback (American football)|halfback]], [[placekicker]], and [[return specialist]].  He is widely recognized as the first [[African American]] placekicker in football.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moss |first1=Irv |title=Broncos welcome Gene Mingo to Ring of Fame |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2014/05/08/broncos-welcome-gene-mingo-to-ring-of-fame/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=August 20, 2018 |date=May 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Whitley |first1=David |title=Justin Medlock adds to list of black NFL kickers, but he's not a trend-setter |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/4105175-justin-medlock-panthers-black-kicker-nfl-history-cedric-oglesby |website=Sporting News |access-date=August 20, 2018 |date=September 7, 2012 |archive-date=March 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320055842/http://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/4105175-justin-medlock-panthers-black-kicker-nfl-history-cedric-oglesby |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Early life==
He played youth football at the behest of a cousin, Dean Newby. After quitting, his cousin was angry. He called Gene a quitter, and tried to get him to come back. Shortly after, his cousin lost his life when mauled by a dog. When his aunt called him a quitter, too, he went back to football. After missing a couple of years to care for his terminally ill mother, he returned to school and found out that he excelled at football.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2018/01/19/gene-mingo-football-broncos|title = Gene Mingo: A Hall of Fame Life}}</ref>

He later dropped out of high school and joined the Navy where he played for a Navy team and was a star. After his discharge, he returned to Akron and worked at the Goodyear plant. 
==Pro career==
Reading the paper in the lead up to the inaugural 1960 season, he read about a former opponent who had played for the Army who was signed by the Denver Broncos. He wrote them a letter and received a contract. He made the team without having played any college football.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2018/01/19/gene-mingo-football-broncos|title = Gene Mingo: A Hall of Fame Life}}</ref>

In [[1960 American Football League season|1960]], he had the first punt return for a touchdown in the [[American Football League]], for the [[Denver Broncos]].  That touchdown won the first-ever American Football League game, as the Broncos defeated the [[Boston Patriots]].  Mingo also scored the first points in [[Mile High Stadium]], then called Bears Stadium, with an 18-yard [[Field goal (football)|field goal]].  In the [[1961 American Football League season|1961 season]] opener at [[War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo)|War Memorial Stadium]] against the [[Buffalo Bills]], Mingo threw a touchdown pass, from the halfback position, to help the Broncos win 22-10: a 50-yarder to [[Lionel Taylor]] in the first quarter.  Mingo kicked the [[extra point|PAT]]s after each score.  He led the American Football League in scoring as a [[rookie]] in 1960 with 123 points and in 1962 with 137 points.  Mingo holds the Broncos' franchise record for the longest touchdown run, an 82-yarder against the Raiders in 1962.  He also played for the [[Oakland Raiders]], [[Miami Dolphins]], and [[Washington Redskins]].  He kicked for the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] in [[1969 NFL season|1969]] and [[1970 NFL season|1970]].

==Personal life==
After he retired, Mingo became a drug and alcohol counselor in the Denver area. He also spent many years involved with the Denver Broncos Alumni Association.<ref>https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/sacco-sez-gene-mingo-s-impressive-life-after-football</ref>

==Legacy==
On September 14, 2014, Mingo, along with [[Dan Reeves]] and [[Rick Upchurch]], was inducted into the [[Broncos Ring of Fame]].

==See also==
* [[List of American Football League players]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{1960 Denver Broncos}}
{{1966 Miami Dolphins}}
{{Denver Broncos Ring of Honor}}
{{AFL scoring leaders}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mingo, Gene}}
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Akron, Ohio]]
[[Category:American football placekickers]]
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:American football return specialists]]
[[Category:Denver Broncos (AFL) players]]
[[Category:Oakland Raiders players]]
[[Category:Miami Dolphins players]]
[[Category:Washington Redskins players]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players]]
[[Category:American Football League All-Star players]]