 |
Reggie Roby was an outstanding punter with the Miami Dolphins in the '80s. Source: Facebook/NFL Retro (May be subject to copyright) |
Reggie Roby used his leg.
Playing a position that is more maligned than celebrated, Reggie Roby was one of the best punters of the ‘80s. He has the stats and the awards to prove it.
Yet what made Reggie Roby stand out, literally, was that he played a position reserved almost exclusively for white players.
Reggie Roby was one of the first black punters in the NFL, the second one ever actually, of a total of six – and a darn good one at that.
It was his birthday today, offering an opportunity to look back at a trailblazer few know.
College days
The first time I saw Reggie Roby was playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 1982 Rose Bowl after the 1981 season. What I saw was something I would see for close to the next 20 years. Roby held the ball really high before kicking, and punted it without jumping.
The first time I saw Reggie Roby was playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 1982 Rose Bowl after the 1981 season. What I saw was something I would see for close to the next 20 years. Roby held the ball really high before kicking, and punted it without jumping.
The announcers pointed out several times that Roby was a consensus All-American punter. He also set a college football season record with an average of 49.8 yards.
Incidentally, the Hawkeyes lost that Rose Bowl to the Washington Huskies.
One other odd note about that game. In the “TV Guide” preview, the story kept referring to the Cyclones, and I had no idea why. Only later did I discover the Iowa State football team is the Cyclones. An interesting error.
Roby, who was actually from Iowa, played for the Hawkeyes from 1979 to 1982. In his senior year in 1982, a year after that trip to the Rose Bowl, he led the country with an average of 48.1 yards, and was a Second Team All-American. Wikipedia reveals his career average of 45.4 yards is still a school record, and ranks as one of the best in college football.
The next step for Reggie Roby was turning pro.
Go pro
The Miami Dolphins selected Roby in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft, 167th overall. He would go on to play the next 10 years for the Dolphins. He wore number four and a watch on his left wrist, which was really noticeable, so he could check his own hang time on punts.
The Miami Dolphins selected Roby in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft, 167th overall. He would go on to play the next 10 years for the Dolphins. He wore number four and a watch on his left wrist, which was really noticeable, so he could check his own hang time on punts.
In his 1983 rookie season, he appeared in 16 games, punting the ball 74 times for 3,189 yards; an average of 43.1 yards; a net of 36.5 yards; 26 kicks inside the 20-yard line, for a career high; and 11 touchbacks. He was also named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team.
In the 1984 season, Roby appeared in 16 games, punting the ball 51 times for 2,281 yards; an average of 44.7 yards; a net of 38.1 yards to lead the league; 15 kicks inside the 20-yard line and 10 touchbacks. He was named a First Team All-Pro and named to his first Pro Bowl, where he set a Pro Bowl record with 10 punts in that game. The Dolphins made the Super Bowl that season, losing to San Francisco, as Roby had an average of 39.3 yards but no punts inside the 20-yard line.
In the 1985 season, he appeared in 16 games, punting the ball 59 times for 2,576 yards; an average of 43.7 yards; a net of 34.7 yards; 19 kicks inside the 20-yard line; and eight touchbacks.
In the 1986 season, Roby appeared in 15 games, punting the ball 56 times for 2,476 yards; an average of 44.2 yards; a net of 37.4 yards to lead the league; 13 kicks inside the 20-yard line; and nine touchbacks. That season he set the Dolphins single-game record with an average of 58.5 yards. He also had the NFL’s longest punt that season of 73 yards.
In the 1987 season, he appeared in 10 games in that strike-shortened season, punting the ball 32 times for 1,371 yards; an average of 42.8 yards; a net of 38.2 yards for a career high; eight kicks inside the 20-yard line; and three touchbacks. He also had a team record 77-yard punt that season at Rich Stadium where the Buffalo Bills play.
In the 1988 season, Roby appeared in 15 games, punting the ball 64 times for 2,754 yards; an average of 43 yards; a net of 35.2 yards; 18 kicks inside the 20-yard line; and nine touchbacks.
In the 1989 season, he appeared in 16 games, punting the ball 58 times for 2,458 yards; an average of 42.4 yards; a net of 35.3 yards; 18 kicks inside the 20-yard line; and six touchbacks. He was also named to his second Pro Bowl.
By the end of the ‘80s, Reggie Roby had established himself as one of the premiere punters in the Nationl Football League, and showed no signs of slowing down.
In fact, he was named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team.
The years after
Reggie Roby played with the Dolphins through the 1992 season. He led the league with an average of 45.7 yards in 1991 and was named a Second Team All-Pro that same season.
Reggie Roby played with the Dolphins through the 1992 season. He led the league with an average of 45.7 yards in 1991 and was named a Second Team All-Pro that same season.
He moved on to Washington for the 1993 and 1994 seasons. In 1994 he had career bests of 82 punts and 3,639 yards. He was also named a First Team All-Pro and named to his third Pro Bowl in 1994.
Roby would play for Tampa Bay in 1995; Houston in 1996 and for Tennessee when Houston moved there in 1997; and San Francisco in 1998, retiring at the end of that season.
He finished his career with totals of 238 games, 992 punts, 42,951 yards, an average of 43.3 yards, a net of 36.2 yards, 298 punts inside the 20-yard line, and 112 touchbacks.
On February 22, 2005, Reggie Roby died of a heart attack.
He was 43 years old.
Trailblazer
Reggie Roby is also one of the few Black punters or kickers to play in the NFL. The next successful Black punter was Marquette King, who came along in 2012 with the Oakland Raiders. It was noted in part, very few kids growing up aspire to be punters. They usually want to be runningbacks, receivers or quarterbacks. Reggie Roby opened the door for any Black athlete who wants to kick in the NFL.
Reggie Roby is also one of the few Black punters or kickers to play in the NFL. The next successful Black punter was Marquette King, who came along in 2012 with the Oakland Raiders. It was noted in part, very few kids growing up aspire to be punters. They usually want to be runningbacks, receivers or quarterbacks. Reggie Roby opened the door for any Black athlete who wants to kick in the NFL.
Parting thoughts
What made Reggie Roby stand out, especially in college at Iowa, was that he could change the trajectory of a game. If the Hawkeyes were backed up deep in their own territory and forced to punt, Roby would trot out, unleash one of his high, booming punts and flip the field, pinning the opponent in their own end.
What made Reggie Roby stand out, especially in college at Iowa, was that he could change the trajectory of a game. If the Hawkeyes were backed up deep in their own territory and forced to punt, Roby would trot out, unleash one of his high, booming punts and flip the field, pinning the opponent in their own end.
As I read about his career at Iowa, there were several statements that he was the best player on that 1981 team the went to the Rose Bowl. That is high praise for a position that is often barely tolerated by some, and rarely mentioned by most – unless something goes wrong like a blocked kick, shanked punt, or kick returned for a touchdown.
Yet, it is a vitally important position that few can do well.
Reggie Roby was one of the best. He showed that it didn’t matter what you looked like. All that mattered was that he could pin the other team deep in their own end with his kicks.
He was a talented trail blazer.
No comments:
Post a Comment