Kenneth M. Easley Jr., (Kenny) is formerly of the South Norfolk area of Chesapeake. Kenny attended Oscar Smith High School where he was a three sport performer in football, basketball and track and field. Kenny excelled in all three sports, but it was football where he made a name for himself. As the quarterback and free safety of the Oscar Smith HS football team, Kenny became an All City, Tidewater, Regional, State and All American player at quarterback. Oscar Smith retired his #5 jersey and placed him in its first ever class of Hall of Famer in the school’s history.
Kenny received a scholarship to attend UCLA as a defensive back, where he immediately became a starter and was voted the Pac 12 Freshman Player of the Year and the first freshman player in Pac 12 history to be named first team All-Conference. Kenny also led his team and the Pac 12 conference in interceptions with (7) as a freshmen. Kenny was voted Freshman Player of the Year by the Houston Sports Club in Texas. Kenny still holds the distinction of being the first and still the only player in UCLA and Pac 12 history to be named (football) first team All-Conference four consecutive years.
Kenny also became only the second player in UCLA football history to be named consensus All American for three consecutive years from 1978 – 1980. Kenny finished his career at UCLA as the school’s all-time leader in interception with (18). Kenny was voted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame and was also a first ballot selection into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991. Kenny’s #5 jersey was retired from play by UCLA and he has been named to every UCLA All-Time anniversary team since his graduation. Kenny’s #5 jersey was only the (6th) jersey ever retired by the UCLA Athletic Department alongside Lew Alcindor (Kareem Jabbar), Bill Walton and Jackie Robinson just to name a few. Kenny was also recently selected to the Pac 12 100 year anniversary (football) All Century First Team. He was one of only (2) UCLA Bruins named to the first team, the other was Jerry Robinson.
Kenny was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks as the (4th) overall pick in the first round of the 1981 draft, Kenny also became an immediate starter at strong safety. Kenny was voted first team All-Rookie and was voted AFC Rookie of the Year to conclude his first season in pro football. During Kenny’s career, he was voted to the Pro Bowl (5) times, All Pro (4) times, the Seattle Seahawks MVP (2) times and voted the 1983 AFC Defensive Player of the Year and the 1984 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, leading the National Football League in interceptions with (10).
Kenny’s pro career was cut short after (7) season’s, when he was found to have a very serious kidney ailment after a routine physical examination. Upon retirement in 1987, Kenny was named to the NFL 1980’s All Decade team and he was enshrined in the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor in 2002, at the time, one of only 6 players accorded that honor. Kenny was voted to the Seahawks All Time anniversary teams for 20 years, 30 years and recently for 40 years. Kenny was also voted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, where he has now served on the Board of Directors for 14 years. In 2017 after retiring from football in 1987, Kenny was finally voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame becoming Hall of Famer number 306.