Charle Young
Charle Edward Young is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for 13 seasons in the National Football League. He played college football for the USC Trojans and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 1973 NFL draft. He played in the NFL for the Eagles, the Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers , and the Seattle Seahawks.Early life
Young attended Edison [High School |Edison High School] in Fresno, California, where he led his high school basketball team to the valley playoffs. Following high school, he went on to a college and professional career playing football.College career
A unanimous first-team 1972 [College Football All-America Team|All-America] in 1972, Young appeared in the Hula Bowl and College All-Star Game. A First-team All-Conference selection, he led USC to a Pacific-8 Conference title and a College football [national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national championship] in 1972. Named USC's Lineman of the Year in 1972, Young set a school record for receptions by a tight end with 62. In three seasons, he amassed 1,008 receiving yards and ten touchdowns. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.Professional career
Following graduation, Young earned Rookie of the Year honors with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1973 and went on to play for 13 seasons in the NFL with four teams. He played in the Pro Bowl in 1973, 1974 and 1975, played in Super Bowl XIV with the Los Angeles Rams in 1979, and won Super Bowl XVI with the San Francisco 49ers in 1981. The following year, he changed his name to Charle, explaining "People had a problem. They thought they had better call me Charlie or Chuck. But Chuck doesn't fit me, and they didn't know if they should spell the other one Charlie or Charley. So I decided to find a shorter name that would make it easier for them, and I decided on Charle. Call me Charlie if you want but spell it Charle." He was a key contributor on the final 89-yard drive that led to the play that has been immortalized as "The Catch" in the NFL playoffs, 1981–82#NFC: [San Francisco 49ers 28, Dallas Cowboys 27|1981 NFC Playoffs] versus the Dallas Cowboys. He also played with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.NFL career statistics
Regular season
Playoffs
Personal life
Young volunteers with the United Way of America, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Society, and the Pacific Northwest Athletic Congress. A volunteer for the 1990 Goodwill Games, he participated in the Black Men Professional Breakfast and is a board member of the Wee Care Childcare Center.