Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 11 › Conversation 011-081

Nixon phone call with Dyer on Cincinnati Bengals and Sports injuries

Wednesday, October 13, 1971 · 12:37 PM–12:38 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Dyer, KennethConversation011-081 on Tape 11 (tape position 02:01:39–02:02:54)StartWednesday, October 13, 1971 at 12:37 PMEndWednesday, October 13, 1971 at 12:38 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 011-081 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Cincinnati Bengals player Ken Dyer to express his personal well-wishes following a severe injury sustained during a game against the Green Bay Packers. The President inquired about Dyer's recovery progress and morale, specifically noting the encouraging signs of restored movement in the player's legs. This gesture served as a high-profile expression of national support for the injured athlete during his rehabilitation.

Audio

Download MP3 · 3.3 MB

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Hello.
Mr. Kenneth Dyer, Mr. President.
Yeah.
President.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello, is this Ken Dyer?
Yes, it is, sir.
Well, I just wanted you to know that I read about that injury in the game with the Packers and that you've had a lot of people cheering for you down there in Cincinnati and other places, but you've got a great cheering section all over the country for you.
We just wish you the very best.
Thank you very much.
Hello.
Mr. Kenneth Dyer, Mr. President.
Yeah.
President.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello, is this Ken Dyer?
Yes, sir.
Well, I just wanted you to know that I read about that injury in the game with the Packers and that you had a lot of people cheering for you down there in Cincinnati and other places, but you got a great cheering section all over the country for you.
We just wish you the very best.
How's it coming along?
I understand that you've got some movement back in your legs.
What's the prognosis at the moment?
It's coming along real fine.
The movement of my legs is coming along real well.
You say your legs are, you can move your legs?
Right, right.
Great, great.
And how's your morale?
That's the important thing.
Oh, great.
Great.
Well, I understand your brother got out to see you.
He did.
Great.
Well, I sure wish you the best.
And I'm a football fan, you know, and followed for years.
And one of these freak injuries really was something.
But we're really pulling for you.
Okay.
Thank you very much.
Good luck, man.

NARA Description

On October 13, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Kenneth Dyer talked on the telephone from 12:37 pm to 12:38 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 011-081 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 011-081

 Date: October 13, 1971
 Time: 12:37 pm - 12:38 pm
 Location: White House Telephone

 The President talked with Kenneth Dyer.

 [See Conversation No. 590-7C]

      Kenneth Dyer
           -Health

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

                    -Cincinnati Bengals
                          -Green Bay Packers
                    -Condition

Also recorded on October 13, 1971

  • 590-005 12:14 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:14 pm and 12:16 pm.
  • 590-006 12:16 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John H. Buchanan, Jr., Philip M. Crane, Charles R. Jonas, William J. Scherle, Floyd D. Spence, Daniel J. Flood, John J. Ryan, Robert L. F. Sikes, Joe D. Waggonner, Jr., Clement J. Zablocki, William E. Timmons, Richard K. Cook, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:16 pm to 12:31 pm.
  • 590-007 12:31 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Kenneth Dyer, and Mrs. Dean G. Acheson met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:31 pm and 1:15 pm.
  • 590-008 12:32 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:32 pm and 1:15 pm.
  • 590-009 12:32 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:32 pm and 1:15 pm.
  • 590-010 12:32 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:32 pm and 1:15 pm.
  • 011-082 12:41 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Mrs. Dean G. Acheson talked on the telephone from 12:41 pm to 12:45 pm.
  • 011-083 12:45 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:45 pm and 1:09 pm.

All 46 conversations from October 13, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 011-081, October 13, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/011-081 (accessed September 28, 2026).