Munoz Named Walter Camp's Man of the Year
Munoz was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) | NEW HAVEN, CT (January 21, 2005) - Former University of Southern California and Cincinnati Bengals standout offensive lineman Anthony Munoz is the recipient of the Walter Camp Football Foundation's "Man of the Year" award. Munoz joins a distinguished list of former "Man of the Year" winners, including Roger Staubach (Navy), Gale Sayers (Kansas), Jim Kelly (Miami) and last year's recipient, Ozzie Newsome (Alabama).
The Walter Camp "Man of the Year" award honors an individual who has been closely associated with the game of football as a player, coach or close attendant to the game. He must have attained a measure of success and been a leader in his chosen profession. He must have contributed to the public service for the benefit of his community, country and his fellow man. He must have an impeccable reputation for integrity and must be dedicated to our American Heritage and the philosophy of Walter Camp.
A native of Ontario, Calif., Munoz played for head coach John Robinson at USC and earned All-America honors and was a key contributor to the Trojans' 1978 national championship. Despite playing just one game in his senior season due to a knee injury, he still was a first-round draft pick — third player selected overall — by the Bengals in 1980.
Considered by many as the NFL's top offensive lineman in the 1980s, Munoz played 13 seasons and was selected to 11 Pro Bowls. An exceptional straight-on blocker with great agility, Munoz was also an 11-time All-Pro selection and a three-time NFL Offensive Lineman of the year recipient (1981, 1987, and 1988).
In his 13-year professional career, Munoz missed just three games due to injury, and also caught seven passes — four for touchdowns — on tackle-eligible plays. He also played in two Super Bowls (XVI, XXIII) and was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994.
Munoz has been recognized for his tireless community involvement. He was the recipient of the Athletes in Action Bart Starr Award for Leadership in 1990, and was named the Cincinnati Bengals Man of the Year Award for five consecutive years. In 1991, he was honored as the NFL Man of the Year. In 1998, Munoz was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first attempt on the ballot.
Munoz has served as a television analyst for ESPN and Fox, and continues to cover the Cincinnati Bengals on WKRC-TV and WLW Radio. Anthony also serves on the NFL Youth Board. In 2002, he established the Anthony Munoz Foundation, a non-profit organization that empowers children to reach their highest potential. The foundation has impacted thousands of children and raised more than $1,000,000 for foundation programs and select charities.
Munoz and his wife, DeDe, are the proud parents of Michael and Michelle. Michael is a star offensive lineman for the University of Tennessee and a 2004 Walter Camp Second Team All-America selection, while Michelle is a basketball star at the Ohio State University.
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