Courtney Caeser Hall (August 26, 1968 – April 29, 2021) was an American professional
football player who was a
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
and
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) for the
San Diego Chargers and spent the 1998 preseason with the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
although he never officially suited up for the Broncos and thus couldn't be considered a part of their Super Bowl championship roster. He was a four-time
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
first alternate and captained the only Chargers football team to play in a
Super Bowl. Hall's death was announced on April 30, 2021.
Hall played football at
Banning High School in
Wilmington,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, and was the
starting offensive tackle his junior and senior years. His teammates included
Jamelle Holieway
Jamelle Holieway (born June 25, 1967) is an American former college and professional football player who was a quarterback for the University of Oklahoma. He led the Oklahoma Sooners to a national championship in 1985.
Holieway is considered on ...
,
Leroy Holt
Leroy Holt (born March 16, 1967) is a former American football fullback from the University of Southern California (USC).
High school years
Holt attended Banning High School in Wilmington, California. He was a three-year letterman in footbal ...
, and
Mark Tucker. He retired from the NFL in 1997.
In 1985, aged 16, Courtney, a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, graduated from high school and enrolled at
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a private research university in Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranked among the top universities ...
. He graduated in 1990 with a dual degree in Economics and Managerial Studies. In 2003, he graduated with a joint
J.D./M.B.A. degree from the
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School is the law school of the University of Chicago, a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. It is consistently ranked among the best and most prestigious law schools in the world, and has many dis ...
and the
University of Chicago Booth School of Business
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (Chicago Booth or Booth) is the graduate business school of the University of Chicago. Founded in 1898, Chicago Booth is the second-oldest business school in the U.S. and is associated with 10 N ...
. Hall also served on the Rice University Investment Committee, helping to manage the university's $4.5 billion endowment.
Hall was a managing partner of Hillcrest Venture Partners, a
venture capital
Venture capital (often abbreviated as VC) is a form of private equity financing that is provided by venture capital firms or funds to start-up company, startups, early-stage, and emerging companies that have been deemed to have high growth poten ...
firm. He also served as New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg's appointee to the
New York City Campaign Finance Board
The New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) is an independent New York City agency that serves to provide campaign finance information to the public, enable more citizens to run for office by granting public matching funds, increase voter part ...
.
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame inducted Hall into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame in 2019.
References
External links
Profile at NFL.com
1968 births
2021 deaths
American football centers
American football offensive guards
Players of American football from Los Angeles
Rice Owls football players
San Diego Chargers players
University of Chicago Law School alumni
University of Chicago Booth School of Business alumni
African-American players of American football
Ed Block Courage Award recipients
{{offensive-lineman-1960s-stub