Dennis Byrd

Bio

The first player in Atlantic Coast Conference history to be named a three-time All-ACC selection, North Carolina State’s Dennis Byrd becomes the fourth Wolfpack player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Twice named a first-team All-America, Byrd was the first NC State player ever to garner consensus All-America honors. As a member of the Wolfpack’s famed “White Shoes” defense, he led NC State in defeating Georgia in the 1967 Liberty Bowl. That season, the Pack featured one of the nation’s top defenses holding the opposition to 8.7 points per game. Drafted as the sixth overall pick in the 1968 NFL Draft, Byrd played only one season with the Boston Patriots due to a nagging knee injury sustained in the latter part of his senior season at NC State. He then embarked on a 30-year teaching and coaching career at the high school level and retired in 2001. Dennis was named an ACC Football Legend and inducted into the state of North Carolina Hall of Fame in 2007. He is also the first defensive player to have his jersey (#77) retired at his alma mater.

Career Highlights

• 1967 All-Conference
• 1967 Consensus All-America
• 1966 All-Conference
• 1966 First Team All-America
• 1965 All-Conference