Hall of Fame
Position: Split End
Years: 1974-1977
Place of Birth: New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
Date of Birth: Aug 22, 1956
Jersey Number: 89
Height: 6-0"
Weight: 196
High School: New Smyrna Beach (Fla.)
One of the greatest pass receivers in Florida history, Wes Chandler amassed a Hall of Fame career while rewriting the Florida record books. He becomes the eighth Gator to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
A First Team All-American following his senior season, Chandler finished 10th in the 1977 Heisman Trophy voting after leading Florida in receiving for three straight seasons. The senior team captain was a two-time First Team All-SEC selection, and he led the Gators to three consecutive bowl berths, including the 1974 Sugar Bowl. Ending his career as the highest scoring non-kicker in Florida history with 172 points, Chandler caught 92 passes for 1,963 yards and a then school-record 22 touchdowns, which still ranks in the top 10. A star for College Football Hall of Fame coach Doug Dickey, he appeared in the 1978 Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Game. A 1977 First Team Academic All-American and member of the SEC Honor Roll, Chandler was the recipient of Florida’s Fergie Ferguson Award, which is presented to the senior who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage.
Taken in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, Chandler spent 11 seasons in the pros with the Saints, San Diego Chargers and San Francisco 49ers. The four-time Pro Bowl selection was named the NFL Wide Receiver of the Year in 1982, and he is a member of the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame and 50th Anniversary Team.
After his playing career, the New Smyrna Beach, Fla., native coached in NFL Europe and the NFL, as well as at Central Florida and California. Chandler currently serves a wide receivers coach at Football University, a series of educational football camps held across the country. Active in the community, he founded the Wes Chandler Youth Foundation in 1982 to help local children in Daytona Beach, Fla., with academics, business acumen and discipline in sports. Chandler is a member of the University of Florida, Florida-Georgia and the Florida High School Athletic Association halls of fame.
