Hall of Fame
Position: Defensive Tackle
Years: 1975-1978
Place of Birth: Takoma Park, MD
Date of Birth: Jan 15, 1957
Jersey Number: 93
Height: 6-6
Weight: 250
High School: Catholic HS (St. Petersburg, FL)
Marty Lyons learned many lessons from Coach Bear Bryant during his years at Alabama. ?So here was a coach who was really giving you the core values that would be instrumental in formulating you as a person, not as a football player,? explains Lyons of the lessons that Coach Bryant taught him at Alabama. Under Bryant, Marty Lyons became one of the most accomplished defenders in Alabama?s hallowed history. His career stats of 202 tackles, and 20 sacks led to many honors and awards, including consensus All-America, Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year ,and being named a member of the Crimson Tide?s All-Centennial Team, Southeastern Conference?s All-1970s Team, and winning a national championship with the Crimson Tide in 1978. That national championship was clinched due to ?The Goal Line Stand? in the 1979 Sugar Bowl in which Lyons was instrumental. Marty was a member of four bowl winning squads and three SEC title teams. He was selected in the first round (14th overall) of the 1979 NFL Draft by the New York Jets and spent his entire career in New York appearing in 147 games over 11 seasons. He was selected to two Pro Bowls and was named the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year in 1984. He has run the Marty Lyons Foundation for 27 years, which aims to fulfill wishes of terminally ill children. The organization currently reaches nine states across the Eastern and Southern United States. He also claims 32 years of experience as a motivational speaker and 20 years as a broadcaster. Lyons is a member of seven halls of fame in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and New York.
