Ken Beck (American football)

For the Australian rules footballer, see Ken Beck.

Kenneth Lee "Ken" Beck

Beck as a Texas Aggie
Date of birth	(1935-09-03)September 3, 1935
Place of birth	Minden, Webster Parish Louisiana, USA
Date of death	March 5, 2006(2006-03-05) (aged 70)
Place of death	Shreveport, Caddo Parish Louisiana
Career information
Position(s)	Defensive tackle
US college	Texas A&M University
NFL draft	1959 / Round: 4 / Pick: 38 (by the Chicago Cardinals)
Career history
As player
1959–1960	Green Bay Packers

Kenneth Lee Beck, known as Ken Beck (September 3, 1935 – March 5, 2006), was a defensive tackle in the National Football League. Beck played two seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He was a member of the Western Division Champion Packers in 1960. Beck was chosen by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1961 Expansion Draft, but was released by team at the end of training camp. He played for the Canadian Football League Toronto Argos from 1961 to 1962 under Coach Lou Agassi. Beck was one of only two men to have played for both Bear Bryant and Vince Lombardi.

Beck was born at the Beck Family Farm near Minden, the parish seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana. The farm had been established in 1880 by his grandfather, Elias William Beck.

After a knee injury cut short his pro-football career, Beck received a teaching degree from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Arkansas. Thereafter, he taught and coached for many years for the Webster Parish School Board at Cotton Valley High School in Cotton Valley, Louisiana.

Beck met his wife, the former Sally Roberts (1943–2007), a native of Hot Springs, Arkansas, at Southern Arkansas University. She also taught school in Cotton Valley. The couple had two children, Emily Ruth Beck Hendricks and husband, Troyce, of Minden, and Donald Robert Beck and wife, Sheree, of Cotton Valley. The Becks were affiliated with the First Pentecostal Church of Cotton Valley. They are interred at Cotton Valley Cemetery.