Chris Hanburger
Football · Hometown: Mount Airy, NC
- High school
- Mount Airy High School
- College
- University of North Carolina
- Pro team(s)
- Washington Redskins
- Hall of Fame
- ⭐ Pro Football Hall of Fame
Christopher Hanburger was born on August 13, 1941, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and grew up in Mount Airy — the small Surry County town that inspired Andy Griffith's fictional Mayberry — where he attended Mount Airy High School before playing at the University of North Carolina. Selected in the 18th round of the 1965 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins (a pick so late that it was scarcely a formality), Hanburger proved to be one of the greatest steals in draft history. He spent his entire 14-year career with Washington, becoming one of the most feared linebackers in the NFL through nine Pro Bowl selections and an extraordinary combination of athleticism, football intelligence, and relentless pursuit. Hanburger could blitz, cover tight ends and running backs in man coverage, and make tacklers in the open field with equal effectiveness — a complete linebacker in an era that largely predefined what outside linebackers could be. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011 as part of the Centennial Slate. Attended Mount Airy High School in Mount Airy, North Carolina.