Roman Gabriel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Roman Gabriel | |
|---|---|
 Roman Gabriel as featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated |
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| Date of birth | August 5, 1940 (age 66) |
| Place of birth |  Wilmington, North Carolina |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| College | North Carolina State |
| Career Highlights | |
| Pro Bowls | 4 |
| Awards | 1973 NFL Comeback POY, 1969 AP NFL MVP, 1969 UPI MVP, 1969 Bert Bell Award, 1968 Pro Bowl MVP |
| Stats | |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 1962-1972 1973-1977 |
Los Angeles Rams Philadelphia Eagles |
| College Hall of Fame | |
Roman Ildonzo Gabriel, Jr. (born August 5, 1940 in Wilmington, North Carolina) is a former American Football player. The son of a Filipino immigrant, he was the first Asian American to start as an NFL quarterback and is considered by many to have been one of the best players at that position during the late 1960s and early 70s. At 6'4" and 235 pounds, he is considered the first truly big quarterback of the modern era.
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[edit] College career
A two-time All-American, he starred at quarterback for North Carolina State in the early 1960's and finished his career holding virtually every Wolfpack passing record. An academic All-American, Gabriel saw his jersey retired and presented to him by North Carolina governor Terry Sanford on Jan. 20, 1962 at half-time of an NC State-Maryland basketball game in Reynolds Coliseum. The number one A.F.L. draft pick (Roman was chosen second in the N.F.L. draft), by the Oakland Raiders[1], he went on to a distinguished professional career. Gabriel was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
[edit] NFL career
In the professional ranks Gabriel went on to play 16 seasons in the NFL, splitting time with the Los Angeles Rams (1962-72) and the Philadelphia Eagles (1973-77). He was named the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 1969 and earned Pro Bowl spots in 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1973. He ranked as the Rams' all-time passing leader with 22,223 yards and 154 touchdowns (1,705 com./3,313 att.) and threw for 7,221 yards and 45 touchdowns (661 com./1,185 att.) with the Eagles. In 1973 he led the NFL with 3,219 yards and 23 touchdown passes, for which he was awarded the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. He still holds the Rams' career records for touchdown passes (154), passing yards (22,223), passes attempted (3,313), and passes completed 1,705.
[edit] World League of American Football (WLAF) career
Gabriel was the head coach of the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks of the World League of American Football, becoming the only coach to have a perfect losing season (0-10), in the inaugural season of 1991-1992. The team disbanded shortly thereafter.
[edit] Acting career
Gabriel had a brief career in movies, playing a prison guard in Otto Preminger's 1968 spoof Skidoo and an American Indian in the 1969 John Wayne film The Undefeated. Gabriel's dark complexion gave rise to a popular belief that he may really be a Native American, but this is not the case; he is actually Filipino American on his father's side and Irish-American on his mother's.
[edit] Personal Life
After retirement from pro football in 1977, Roman Gabriel became a games analyst with the Carolina Panthers Radio Network, a position he held for 7 seasons. Committed to charity work in his home of Charlotte, North Carolina, he has raised over $4 million for charity through RG Sports Connection trust. To date, a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame has eluded him.
[edit] Trivia
Gabriel's last completion of his career was a 15 yard pass to Vince Papale, the walk on WR and special teams captain that is the inspiration and subject of Disney's movie "Invincible" starring Mark Wahlberg.
[edit] Awards
- 1973 -NFL Comeback Player of the Year
- 1969- NFL Most Valuable Player Award, - Bert Bell MVP Trophy (Maxwell Club), - UPI MVP
- 1968 - Pro Bowl MVP
| Preceded by Earl Morrall |
NFL Most Valuable Player 1969 season |
Succeeded by John Brodie |
| Preceded by Earl Morrall |
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award 1973 |
Succeeded by Joe Namath |
| Preceded by Peter Liske |
Philadelphia Eagles Starting Quarterbacks 1973-1976 |
Succeeded by Ron Jaworski |
[edit] External links
- Roman Gabriel's NFL Statistics
- Roman Gabriel at the Internet Movie Database
- Article about Roman Gabriel
- Eagles article on Roman Gabriel
- Gabriel's Ethnicity
| Number one AFL Draft picks |
|---|
| Rice • Gabriel • Buchanan • Concannon • Elkins • Grabowski • Simpson |
Categories: 1940 births | Living people | American football quarterbacks | Los Angeles Rams players | NC State Wolfpack football players | Philadelphia Eagles players | National Football League first overall draft picks | AP NFL MVP Award winners | Asian Americans | Asian American sportspeople | Filipino Americans
