Reggie McKenzie (guard)

Reginald McKenzie (born July 27, 1950) is a former American football player. He played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) as the left guard for the Buffalo Bills from 1972 to 1982. Selected as a first-team All-NFL player in 1973 and second team in 1974, McKenzie was a key player on the Bills' offensive line that became known as the Electric Company that led the way for O. J. Simpson to become the NFL's first 2,000-yard rusher during the 1973 NFL season.

McKenzie also played college football at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1971 and was a consensus All-American in 1971. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002. McKenzie concluded his playing career with the Seattle Seahawks during the 1983 and 1984 NFL seasons. In his 13-year NFL career, McKenzie appeared in 171 games, all but two of those as a starter.

Early years

McKenzie was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1950. He attended Highland Park High School.

University of Michigan

McKenzie enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1968 and played college football at the offensive guard position for head coach Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1969 to 1971. McKenzie was also initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi - Sigma chapter in 1970.

As a junior, McKenzie started all 10 games at left guard for the 1970 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a 9-1 record, scored 288 points, and generated 2,508 net rushing yards (251 yards per game).(to retrieve information for a particular season, go to "Games & Totals by Season" and select the year for which statistics are to be retrieved) McKenie was selected by the conference coaches as a first-team player on the 1970 All-Big Ten Conference football team.

As a senior, he started all 12 games at left guard for the 1971 Michigan team that compiled an 11-1 record, scored 421 points, and broke Michigan's all-time record with 3,977 net rushing yards (331 rushing yards per game). McKenzie was a consensus first-team player on the 1971 College Football All-America Team.

Professional football

McKenzie was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round (27th overall pick) of the 1972 NFL Draft. He played 11 years for the Bills from 1972 to 1982. He was selected as a first-team All-NFL player in 1973 (Associated Press and Pro Football Writers) and 1974 (Pro Football Writers). He and Joe DeLamielleure were O. J. Simpson's pulling guards on his frequent sweep runs that made him the first 2,000-yard rusher during the 1973 NFL season. He was often referred to by Simpson as his "main man" and was the leader of the team's "Electric Company" which "turned on the Juice".

McKenzie also played for the Seattle Seahawks (1983-1984). In his 13-year NFL career, he appeared in 171 games, 169 as a starter.

Later years and honors

After retiring from football, McKenzie established Reggie McKenzie Industrial Materials, an industrial products company based in Livonia, Michigan. He is also the founder of the Reggie McKenzie Foundation, an organization that helps Detroit youth with athletics and academics.

In 2002, McKenzie was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

He was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

On November 22, 2016, McKenzie won the Big Ten's Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award.

Personal life

Nephew Keith McKenzie entered NFL, won the victory in Super Bowl XXXI during enrollment in Green Bay Packers and also achieved appearance in Super Bowl XXXII