Fred Arbanas
Fred Arbanas | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frederick Vincent Arbanas 14 January 1939 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | 16 April 2021 (aged 82) |
| Occupation(s) | American football tight end, legislator |
| Years active | 1961–1970 (football), 1973–2013 (public service) |
| Known for | Professional football career with Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs; Jackson County legislator |
Frederick Vincent "Fritz" Arbanas (January 14, 1939 – April 16, 2021) was a professional American football tight end known for his collegiate career with the Michigan State Spartans. Selected in the second round as the 22nd overall pick of the 1961 NFL draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, and also chosen in the seventh round (53rd overall) of the 1961 American Football League draft by the Dallas Texans, he devoted his entire professional tenure to the Texans, who later became the Kansas City Chiefs. Following his football career, Arbanas pursued public service as a legislator in Jackson County, Missouri.
Early life
Arbanas was born and grew up in Detroit, attending St. Mary's of Redford High School. At Michigan State University, he played both offense and defense, making significant offensive plays during his sophomore and junior years, including a notable 59-yard touchdown reception against Notre Dame. Although primarily acknowledged for his defensive role as a senior, he still recorded three receptions that season, two resulting in touchdowns. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Michigan State.
Professional career
In the 1961 drafts, Arbanas was picked by both leagues: the AFL's Dallas Texans (later renamed the Kansas City Chiefs) selected him in the seventh round (54th overall), while the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals chose him in the second round (22nd overall).
He signed with the Texans for the 1961 campaign but was sidelined that year due to ruptured spinal disks. Beginning in 1962, Arbanas demonstrated remarkable durability by playing eight straight seasons without missing a single game.
Throughout his career, Arbanas earned recognition as The Sporting News' All-AFL tight end in 1963, 1964, and 1966. Additionally, he was named an AFL Western Division All-Star in 1962, 1963, and 1964.
The pinnacle of his performance came in 1964 when he recorded career-highs with 34 catches for 686 yards—averaging 20.2 yards per reception—and eight touchdowns. That year also brought adversity when he suffered an assault on a Kansas City sidewalk that led to permanent loss of vision in one eye in January 1965, forcing him to miss that season’s AFL All-Star game. Despite this setback, he continued to earn Western Division All-Star honors in 1965, 1966 (even while injured), and 1967.
Arbanas played a crucial role on one of the AFL’s most dominant squads, contributing to two Chiefs teams that reached the Super Bowl and one that secured a World Championship. He received a Super Bowl ring after Kansas City’s decisive 23–7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV—the final championship before the AFL-NFL merger.
Reflecting on Arbanas’s influence, team owner Lamar Hunt remarked: "After losing to Green Bay in the first Super Bowl, we won a preseason game against the Chicago Bears by a score of 66–24. Fred said that matchup was his most memorable game—and I share that sentiment."
Concluding his career after the 1970 season with six appearances for the Chiefs, Arbanas set franchise marks as the AFL’s archetypal tight end, holding team records for receptions (198) and receiving yards (3,101) until they were eclipsed by Tony Gonzalez.
His legacy includes selection to the All-time All-AFL Team, induction into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Honor in 1973, enshrinement in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1997, and recognition by the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
Personal life
Throughout his tenure with the Chiefs, Arbanas maintained full-time employment at Fordyce Material and subsequently took on the role of Promotion Director for the Kansas City Coca-Cola Bottling Company. He was a board member of North American Savings Bank and eventually retired from Fred Arbanas, Inc., a company he established in 1970.
Arbanas dedicated many years to public service as a Jackson County, Missouri legislator beginning in 1973, holding the position of Chairman for four terms during 1974, 1975, 1988, and 1989. To recognize his contributions, Longview Lake Golf Course was renamed the Fred Arbanas Golf Course in 1999. In 2013, his legislative peers honored him with a 40-year service award.
In the 1992 Democratic primary, Arbanas challenged incumbent U.S. Congressman Alan Wheat, earning 37.5% of the vote compared to Wheat’s 58.2%.
Residing in Lee's Summit, Missouri, Arbanas lived with his wife Sharon and was the father of four children and grandfather to eight grandchildren. Beginning in January 2016, he served as Temporary County Executive for Jackson County.
Fred Arbanas died on April 16, 2021.