Alfredo Roberts facts for kids

Alfredo Roberts (born March 17, 1965) is an American football coach. He used to play as a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). Today, he works as the tight ends coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys. He also played college football at the University of Miami.

Early Life and Sports

Alfredo Roberts went to South Plantation High School. In high school, he was a great tight end in football. He was named All-city and second-team All-state. He helped his team win two city championships in a row.

He was also good at baseball. As a senior, he was a second-team All-state catcher and first baseman. He was the best hitter on his team for two of his three seasons.

College Football Career

Roberts earned a football scholarship to the University of Miami. In 1983, he was redshirted. This means he practiced with the team but didn't play in games. This allowed him to gain experience and keep an extra year of eligibility. That year, his team won a National Championship.

As a freshman, he was a backup tight end. He learned from older players. The next year, he was a third-string tight end.

When he was a junior, he focused on blocking for his teammates. He also caught 10 passes for 105 yards and scored 2 touchdowns.

In 1987, as a senior, he shared the starting spot. He caught 13 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. His team had a perfect 12-0 season and won another National Championship!

He finished his college career with 29 catches for 296 yards. He scored 4 touchdowns. He played in three major bowl games.

Professional Playing Career

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs picked Alfredo Roberts in the eighth round of the 1988 NFL draft. This was the 197th pick overall. As a rookie, he started the first 7 games. But then he got a shoulder injury. He needed surgery after the season. Another player, Jonathan Hayes, took his starting spot.

In 1989, he was a backup player. He caught 8 passes for 55 yards and scored one touchdown. In 1990, he started 13 games. He caught 11 passes for 119 yards.

Dallas Cowboys

In 1991, Alfredo Roberts joined the Dallas Cowboys. He reunited with his old college coach, Jimmy Johnson. He was mainly a blocking tight end for the Cowboys. He helped Emmit Smith become the league's top rusher. Smith ran for 1,563 yards that year.

In 1992, Roberts helped Smith again. Smith rushed for 1,713 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. Roberts got a knee injury in the last game of the season. This meant he could not play in the playoffs. He was not able to play in Super Bowl XXVII, which the Cowboys won. Derek Tennell played in his place.

In 1993, he broke his foot during training camp. He was put on the injured reserve list. This meant he could not play for the season. Scott Galbraith took his place. In 1994, he was released from the team. He could not fully recover from his foot injury.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Alfredo Roberts became a football coach. He has coached for many teams, helping players improve their skills.

• From 1999 to 2002, he coached at Florida Atlantic. He worked with running backs and wide receivers.
• He then coached tight ends for the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003–2006).
• Next, he coached tight ends for the Cleveland Browns (2007–2008).
• He continued coaching tight ends for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009–2011).
• He also coached tight ends for the Indianapolis Colts (2012–2015).
• In 2016, he coached tight ends at Carmel High School (Indiana).
• He returned to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. He coached running backs (2017–2019) and then tight ends (2020).
• Since 2021, he has been the tight ends coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.