View source for Gary Spani

{{Short description|American football player (born 1956)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL player
| name = Gary Spani
| image = Gary Spani (3703763) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Spani at [[Rosecrans Air National Guard Base]] in 2017
| number = 59
| position = [[Linebacker]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|01|9|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Satanta, Kansas]], U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| weight_lb = 229
| height_in = 2
| high_school = [[Manhattan High School|Manhattan]] {{nowrap|([[Manhattan, Kansas]])}}
| college = [[Kansas State Wildcats football|Kansas State]]
| draftyear = 1978
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 58
| pastteams =
* [[Kansas City Chiefs]] ({{NFL Year|1978|1986}})
| highlights =
* [[Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame]] (2003)
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1977 College Football All-America Team|1977]])
* Third-team All-American ([[1975 College Football All-America Team|1975]])
* 2× First-team All-[[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] ([[1975 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1975]], [[1977 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1977]])
* Second-team All-Big Eight ([[1976 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1976]])
* Kansas State Hall of Fame (2000)
| statlabel1 = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
| statvalue1 = 9.5
| statlabel2 = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue2 = 10
| statlabel3 = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue3 = 2
| pfr = SpanGa20
| CollegeHOF = 2024
}}

'''Gary Spani''' (born January 9, 1956) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[linebacker]] for the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL) from 1978 to 1986. He has worked for the Chiefs' front office since 1989, and was the directors of community engagement for the Chiefs.

Spani was born in [[Satanta, Kansas]], but raised in [[Manhattan, Kansas]], and graduated from [[Manhattan High School]].  He played [[college football]] for the [[Kansas State Wildcats football|Kansas State Wildcats]]. At [[Kansas State University]], he was a three-time All [[Big Eight Conference]] selection, was conference defensive player of the year in 1977, and was named the school's first consensus [[All America]]n in 1977. He still holds the all-time tackles record for Kansas State University. Following graduation, Spani was named MVP of the [[East-West Shrine Game]].

The Chiefs selected Spani in the third round of the [[1978 NFL draft]]. As a professional, Spani was a hardnosed and tenacious player. He was a [[team captain]] for the Chiefs in 1983. He formerly held the all-time tackles record for the Kansas City Chiefs, where he registered 999 career stops. His single-season record of 157 tackles with the Chiefs, set in [[1979 Kansas City Chiefs season|1979]], stood until [[2002 Kansas City Chiefs season|2002]] when it was broken by [[Mike Maslowski]]. He also recorded 9.5 sacks, recovered 10 fumbles and scored 4 touchdowns during his Chiefs career.

Spani was elected to the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 2002 and the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2003.<ref>{{College Football HoF|id=2024}}</ref>

Daughter Shalin Spani played college basketball for the Kansas State University Wildcats from 2007 to 2010.<ref>[http://www.kstatesports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/spani_shalin00.html Shalin Spani] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117033744/http://www.kstatesports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/spani_shalin00.html |date=2012-01-17}} K-State Sports Women's Basketball. Retrieved November 14, 2011.</ref>  She later married K-State star quarterback and [[Heisman Trophy]] finalist [[Collin Klein]]. Daughter Taber Spani plays college basketball for the Tennessee Lady Vols.<ref>[http://www.utladyvols.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/spani_taber00.html Taber Spani] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111106015423/http://www.utladyvols.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/spani_taber00.html |date=2011-11-06 }} Lady Vols Basketball. Retrieved November 14, 2011.</ref> His third daughter, Tanis Spani, is a member of the Southwest Baptist University Lady Bearcat basketball team.<ref>[http://sbubearcats.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1508] SBU Women's Basketball. Retrieved April 2, 2012.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{1977 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Chiefs1978DraftPicks}}
{{Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spani, Gary}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Haskell County, Kansas]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Manhattan, Kansas]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:American football linebackers]]
[[Category:Kansas State Wildcats football players]]
[[Category:Kansas City Chiefs players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]