Elvin Bethea

Elvin Lamont Bethea, born March 1, 1946, in Trenton, New Jersey, is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 16-year career as a defensive end with the Houston Oilers of the American Football League and the National Football League. He attended Trenton Central High School, where he played football and competed in track, setting the New Jersey state record in the shot put in 1964 at 66 feet 4½ inches, a mark that stood until 1997. That same year he won the shot put and discus competitions at the Golden West Invitational. He went on to play college football for the North Carolina A&T Aggies, where he also competed for the track and field team as a shot putter.

During his career in Houston, Bethea appeared in 210 games, including a stretch of 135 consecutive. In the 1968 season he played both defensive end and guard, and he did not miss a game until breaking his arm against the Oakland Raiders in 1977. He led the team in sacks six times. Bethea was the first player from North Carolina A&T to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2003.