Published in the summer 2011 issue of MyLIFE magazine
PHOTO: COPYRIGHT LEROY NEIMAN, INC. 1991
Nick Lowery, a current resident of Paradise Valley, Ariz., in October of last year returned to Kansas City, Mo., and Arrowhead Stadium, where he was loudly cheered by tens of thousands of fans as he was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame. That signature honor was the culmination of his 14 years spent with Kansas City (1980-1993), playing in 212 regular season games. The franchise’s all-time leading scorer, Lowery scored 1,466 points in a Chiefs uniform.
At the time of Lowery’s induction, Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt stated, “The entire Kansas City Chiefs organization is extremely pleased to welcome Nick into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. His penchant for making long-distance kicks and his history of last-minute heroics during pressure-packed situations made him one of the most admired kickers in the National Football League. He is richly deserving of being recognized as one of the all-time greats in Chiefs history.”
Lowery was also elected to three Pro Bowls, following the ’81, ’90 and ’92 seasons. In ’90, he connected on a Chiefs single-season record 34 field goals and 37 points after touchdown for 139 points, the highest single-season total ever amassed by a Chiefs kicker.
In total, Lowery played in 17 NFL seasons with the New England Patriots (’78), Kansas City Chiefs (’80-’93) and the New York Jets (’94-’96).
Lowery is the first professional athlete to graduate with a master’s degree from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. His master’s program was a continuation of his undergraduate years at Dartmouth College. He is the lone Chiefs player to ever hail from Dartmouth. So, he is true-blue Ivy League.
These days, Lowery spends his time on public-service initiatives and activities, particularly in the interest of children. The Nick Lowery Youth Foundation promotes programs such as Adult Role Models for Youth, Youthfriends, and Native Vision and Nation Building for Native Youth. The foundation’s newest effort, New Extraordinary Transcendent Leadership, is a program that will use the lessons of native American culture to reach out to all at-risk youth.
“We know,” Lowery said, “that youth respond to encouragement and support as they learn how to become leaders. And that’s what we’re really excited about.”
For more information, visit nickloweryfoundation.org.