Chad William Hennings, born on October 20, 1965, is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). His journey is one of dedication, service, and athletic achievement.
Early Life and College Career
After receiving full scholarships from various universities, Hennings chose to attend the United States Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs. Facing an obligation to enter the Air Force upon graduating from the Academy, Hennings was selected in the 11th round of the 1988 NFL draft by the Cowboys.
In his sophomore season, Hennings was moved to defensive tackle, became a starter and made the All--WAC second-team. That 1985 season was the greatest in Air Force history as the Falcons went 12-1, were conference co-champions, defeated Texas in the Bluebonnet Bowl and placed fifth in the final coaches poll.
His senior year in 1987, he led the nation with 24 sacks, was a unanimous first-team All-American selection, received the Stan Bates Award as the conference's top scholar-athlete, earned defensive player of the year honors from the Western Athletic Conference and the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman. Hennings is a member of the Western Athletic Conference all-time team and was named WAC defensive player of the decade for the 1980s.
Air Force Service
After graduating from the Air Force Academy in June 1988, Hennings entered undergraduate pilot training at Sheppard Air Force Base, in Wichita Falls, Texas, as part of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) Program conducted by the 80th Flying Training Wing. ENJJPT is an elite program, and when his ground training studies faltered (he had been an honor student at AFA), his squadron commander isolated him from all contact regarding the Dallas Cowboys, who had drafted him in April 1989.
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After UPT, Hennings completed Lead-In Fighter Training and because of his size, was eligible only for F-111, F-15 Eagle, or A-10 Thunderbolt II RTU. While with the 92d TFS, Hennings deployed twice to the Persian Gulf. From April to June 1991, and October 1991 to January 1992, based at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Henning flew 45 A-10 missions in support of Operation Provide Comfort, an effort that helped provide relief and humanitarian aid to Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq. He was twice awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal, a humanitarian award and an Outstanding Unit Award for his actions in the service.
After the 1991 Gulf War, the United States military underwent an across the board reduction in budget and Hennings was able to have the remaining four years of his active-duty commitment (service academy and rated pilot) waived, which was unprecedented at the time.
NFL Career with the Dallas Cowboys
Hennings spent nine seasons with the team, before retiring after missing half of the 2000 season with injuries. In 1995, he registered his first starts while Leon Lett was serving a four-game suspension.
Chad Hennings NFL Stats:
| Season | Team | Games Played | Starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Dallas Cowboys | First Starts | |
| 9 Seasons | Dallas Cowboys |
Hennings is married and has two children. Following his football career, Hennings became a Christian motivational speaker and author.
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Chad Hennings | Exemplify Commitment, Dallas Speaker - Motivational Speaker
Honors and Achievements
- Western Athletic Conference all-time team
- WAC defensive player of the decade for the 1980s
- Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame (2004)
- Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (2005)
- College Football Hall of Fame (2006)
- Air Force Academy Athletics Hall of Fame (2007)
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