JOHN AYERS - INDUCTEE #101
hall of fame fast fact:
Laurel and John Ayers first met on the last day of school (May 19) in 1973. Ayers was a redshirt football player, and a mutual friend had lined up Laurel to help him with a class. But John never showed up for several scheduled meetings. "I just kind of blew that off," she said, "but finally on the last day of class he called and we met." They began dating the next fall.
John Ayers
John Ayers was a defensive lineman at West Texas State University in 1973-75 after transferring from the University of Texas. He earned all-Missouri Valley Conference honors and was inducted into WT’s Hall of Champions in 1988.
In the 1976 NFL draft, Ayers was the 223rd player selected. The San Francisco 49ers picked him in the eighth round. Ayers was a defensive end, but the 49ers coach saw his potential as an offensive lineman. Ayers became a starter and one of the best blockers in the NFL; he played 148 regular season games in his 10-year career with San Francisco and was on the Super Bowl champion teams in 1981 and 1984. Ayers stayed with the 49ers until 1986 and then finished his NFL career by playing nine games with the Denver Broncos in 1987.
After a two-year battle with liver cancer, Ayers died October 2, 1995. He was 42.
