TEMPE, Ariz. — Former NFL and Arizona State running back Art Malone has died. He was 64.

Arizona State announced on Tuesday July 31 that Malone died on Friday July 27.

Malone played seven seasons in the NFL after being drafted in the second round by Atlanta. He played five seasons with the Falcons and two with the Philadelphia, rushing for 2,457 yards and 19 touchdowns, with 1,465 yards and six touchdowns on 161 receptions.

Malone played for the Sun Devils from 1967 to 1969 and rushed for 2,649 yards, seventh-most in school history. Malone rushed for 1,431 yards in 1968 and had 239 yards against New Mexico that season, both third-most in school history.

His brother, Ben Malone, played seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins.

A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday August 4.

Art Malone and his wife Carolyn lived in Tempe, Ariz. When he was 10 years old, his parents, Ben Sr. and Izora Malone, moved to Eloy, Ariz., from Tyler, Tex., in 1958.

The former SCVUHS, Arizona State University and National Football League great was inducted into the first class of the Santa Cruz Valley Union High School Hall of Fame, in September of 2010.

Malone entered high school in 1962 and began an extraordinary athletic high school, collegiate, and professional career.In high school football, Malone was the star running back of the Dust Devil’s very first state championship football team. He was selected to the first team all conference, the captain of the first team All State squad and the Athlete of the Month for November. Malone was also selected as Arizona’s best high school football player of 1965 and played in the All-Star football game in Flagstaff, Ariz.

As a member of the Santa Cruz track team, Malone was the first Arizona track athlete to run the 180-yard low hurdles in 18.7 seconds. During his high school track career, Malone was state champion in the high and low hurdles, selected as a member to the Arizona All-State team, and was selected to the All-American high school team.

In 1966, Malone accepted a football scholarship at Arizona State University. Starting with his sophomore year as a varsity running back and continuing through his senior year, Malone established himself as one of the great ASU running backs in school history. He finished third in ASU’S All-Time 100-yard rushing games with 239 yards on 29 carries against New Mexico in 1968. He finished fourth in ASU’S All-Time rushes for a career with 14, and finally, he finished third in ASU’S All-Time 1000-yard single-season rushes with 1,431 yards in 1968, which also placed him fifth among all colleges in the nation that year. To top off his college career, Malone earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education.

In 1970, Malone was the number two pick of the Atlanta Falcons where he was in the starting backfield for five years. He finished his professional career as a starter with the Philadelphia Eagles.

He continued working after his football career for the next 22 years with Arizona State University’s athletic department until his retirement. — (AP)