Elex Price

Price was born on August 11, 1950, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, as one of 12 children raised by a sharecropper.[1][2] Although he lived in Yazoo County, he attended high school in the town of Louise in adjacent Humphreys County because he was on the bus route.[3] Price was discovered by Pete Boston, then-head coach of N.D. Taylor High School in Yazoo City, who was refereeing one of his games in Louise.[3] Boston, whose brother was Ralph Boston,[4] convinced Price to come play for him at N.D. Taylor.[3]

Price played fullback, tight end, offensive tackle, and defensive tackle at N.D. Taylor under Boston, earning two letters.[2][5] His coach later said that Price was "just a big ole country boy who caught on [to football] real quick."[6] He graduated from N.D. Taylor in 1969.[7] Price received offers to play college football from Alcorn State, Lincoln, Marshall, Mississippi Valley State, and Prairie View A&M.[2]

Price attended Alcorn State University, where he majored in physical education while earning four letters for the Braves football team.[5] As a junior, Price was named a first-team NAIA All-American.[8] As a senior, he was named the SWAC Defensive Player of the Year.[9] He also earned first-team Little All-American and first-team NAIA All-American honors.[10][11]

After going unselected in the 1973 NFL draft, Price signed a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints.[2][12] His speed and quickness were praised by head coach J. D. Roberts in training camp and he made the final roster.[2][13] Price was named to the starting lineup following an injury to the team's first pick in the draft, Derland Moore.[14][15] In the season opener, a 62–7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, he recorded eight solo tackles, four assists, and one sack.[16] He also recovered a fumble, which led to the only Saints score of the game.[3] "I was so embarrassed I cried. I really was hurt we lost by that great a margin," Price later reflected.[3] He went on to start all 14 games as a rookie, recording 95 tackles, two deflections, and one fumble recovery while making the league-minimum of $14,000.[15]

In 1975, Price played in all 14 games, though he started just two, as the Saints went 2–12.[1][17] In 1976, Price started 13 games and recorded a team-high 8.5 sacks.[6] In a 51–27 win over the Seattle Seahawks, he forced a fumble on Don Testerman on the first play of the game before intercepting a screen pass and returning it 23 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.[18][19] It was his first touchdown as a pro.[13]

In 1978, Price led all National Football Conference (NFC) interior linemen with 104 total tackles (82 unassisted), as well as seven sacks and four forced fumbles as the team won a franchise-record seven games.[20][21]

On August 3, 1979, Price signed a four-year contract extension with the Saints, just hours ahead of the team's first preseason game.[22] However, he expressed that he "wasn't happy at all" with the outcome and that the Saints "just caught [him] in a vulnerable spot" during negotiations since he was entering his option year.[22] On September 20, Price was placed on the injured reserve list due to a damaged shoulder, making room for the Saints to sign Rick Partridge.[23] He was activated on November 24 ahead of their game against the Atlanta Falcons.[24]

In 1980, Price played in 14 games, starting just one. He scored the only touchdown in their 40–7 defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals, blocking a punt and returning it 19 yards for the score.[25] Price was released on June 9, 1981.[26]

Price was named after his great-grandfather.[2] Early in his NFL career, he worked as a car salesman in his hometown of Yazoo City, Mississippi.[13] He also owned a nightclub in Yazoo from 1976 to "about 1980."[5] After his playing career, he started a contracting business in Jackson, "painting and putting up sheet rock."[5]

Price married his wife Robbie and the couple had one son named Elex, Jr.[5]