Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Reggie Roby
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Reggie Roby | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Date of birth | July 30, 1961 |
| Place of birth |  Waterloo, Iowa |
| Date of death | February 22, 2005 (age 43) |
| Place of death | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Position(s) | Punter |
| College | Iowa |
| NFL Draft | 1983 / Round 6/ Pick 167 |
| Career Highlights | |
| Pro Bowls | 3 |
| Honors | NFL 1980s All-Decade Team |
| Stats | |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 1983-1992 1993-1994 1995 1996-1997 1998 |
Miami Dolphins Washington Redskins Tampa Bay Buccaneers Houston/Tennessee Oilers San Francisco 49ers |
Reginald Henry Roby (July 30, 1961 — February 22, 2005), was an American-born National Football League punter and a three-time Pro Bowler. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL draft out of the University of Iowa. He also played for the Washington Redskins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Houston/Tennessee Oilers, and the San Francisco 49ers, retiring in 1999 after 16 seasons. Roby, who was also a standout pitcher on the Waterloo East High School team was drafted by Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. Roby instead chose to attend college. Despite the fact that he had experience at quarterback and possessed a strong arm, Iowa head coach Hayden Fry made the 6'-4", 250 pound Roby a punter exclusively.
Contents |
Before he arrived, the Iowa Hawkeyes football squad had not had a winning season in 20 years. With Roby, the 1981 team earned its first Rose Bowl invitation in 23 years on the strength of being co-Big Ten champions with Ohio State. Roby set an NCAA season record with a 49.8-yard average. In 1982, he led the nation with a 48.1-yard average. His career average of 45.4 yards ranks among college football's best and is still a school record.
As a professional, his 38.7 net average led the league in 1986, and his 45.7 average yards led the NFL in 1991, and he set a Pro Bowl record with 10 punts in the 1985 game. His 58.5-yard single-game average on September 28, 1986 remains a Dolphin team record. At Rich Stadium, Roby punted the ball a team record 77 yards, but the punt was returned 70 yards. He completed the only pass attempt of his career, a 48-yarder to Josh Booty in 1995. Roby was selected as a punter for the NFL's 1980s All-Decade Team.
Roby finished his 16 NFL seasons with 992 punts for 42,951 yards, with 298 punts in the 20 and 112 touchbacks. His career yards per punt average was 43.3, with a net average of 34.0.
In 1993, Roby's financial difficulties led to him filing for bankruptcy, but he rebounded and later became marketing and development director for Backfield in Motion, a non-profit group mixing athletics and academics to help inner city boys.
Reggie Roby helped popularize the now-standard two-step approach, and often wore a watch to gauge his hangtime.
On February 22, 2005, Roby was found at his Nashville, Tennessee home without a pulse by his wife, Melissa. To date, the cause of death remains unannounced, but it is speculated that it was a heart attack. He left behind six children.
In the days after Roby's death, former Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula praised Reggie Roby: "He was an outstanding punter for us and his booming kicks often helped us win the field position battle."
Arguably, one of Roby's few peers as an NFL punter was Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders legend Ray Guy. Like Roby, Guy was also a standout baseball player drafted as a pitcher — coincidentally by the Cincinnati Reds. In Guy's case, he was drafted twice by the Reds and also by the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves. Their careers overlapped for three seasons. Many pundits and fans believe that both Reggie Roby and Ray Guy are worthy of induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Reggie's cousin, Courtney Roby, is a wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans.
- NFL.com Reggie Roby dies
- ESPN.com Reggie Roby dies
- CBS.com Reggie Roby dies
- BUCPOWER.com - Reggie Roby dies
- Reggie Roby's career statistics
| National Football League | NFL's 1980s All-Decade Team |
|---|
|
Joe Montana | Dan Fouts | Walter Payton | Eric Dickerson | Roger Craig | John Riggins | Jerry Rice | Steve Largent | James Lofton | Art Monk | Kellen Winslow | Ozzie Newsome | Anthony Muñoz | Jim Covert | Gary Zimmerman | Joe Jacoby | John Hannah | Russ Grimm | Bill Fralic | Mike Munchak | Dwight Stephenson | Mike Webster | Reggie White | Howie Long | Lee Roy Selmon | Bruce Smith | Randy White | |
Categories: 1961 births | 2005 deaths | People from Waterloo, Iowa | American football punters | Iowa Hawkeyes football players | Miami Dolphins players | Washington Redskins players | Tampa Bay Buccaneers players | Houston Oilers players | Tennessee Oilers players | San Francisco 49ers players | American Conference Pro Bowl players | NFL 1980s All-Decade Team