George Cumby facts for kids

George Edward Cumby, born July 5, 1956, is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons during the 1980s.

He was a star college player for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was named an All-American three times, including a special "unanimous" selection in 1979. The Green Bay Packers picked him in the first round of the 1980 NFL draft. He also played for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles.

After playing, he coached football at different levels. He was an athletic director and head coach at Bishop Thomas K. Gorman Catholic School in Tyler, Texas. He also coached at Texas College and Tyler Junior College.

Early Life and High School

George Cumby is African-American. He was born in Gorman, Texas. He went to Bishop Thomas K. Gorman Catholic School in Tyler, Texas. He graduated from high school in 1975.

College Football Career

Cumby played college football at the University of Oklahoma. He was part of the Oklahoma Sooners football team from 1976 to 1979. He was named a first-team All-American three times. This happened in 1977, 1978, and 1979. In 1979, he was a "consensus" first-team selection. This means he was chosen by most major groups.

He was known for being very fast and strong. Many people think he is one of the best defensive players in Oklahoma's history. His coach, Barry Switzer, once said Cumby was the only player who could stop the famous running back Earl Campbell. Cumby ended his college career with 405 tackles. This is the fifth-highest number of tackles in Oklahoma's history.

Professional Football Career

The Green Bay Packers chose George Cumby in the first round of the 1980 NFL draft. He was the 26th player picked overall. In his first year, 1980, he started two games. In 1981, he became a full-time starter. That year, he caught three passes from opposing quarterbacks, which was his career high.

In 1982, Cumby was named a Second-team All-Pro player. This means he was one of the best players in the league at his position. He continued to be a starter until 1984. In 1985, he played more as a backup player.

During the 1985 season, Cumby was involved in some memorable plays. The Chicago Bears used their rookie defensive tackle, William "The Fridge" Perry, in their offense. Perry was a very large player. Cumby faced Perry on a few plays. Later that season, Perry even scored a touchdown against Cumby.

The Packers released Cumby on August 18, 1986. He then signed with the Buffalo Bills. He started 8 of the 11 games he played for the Bills in 1986. In 1987, he played one game for the Philadelphia Eagles. He joined them when many of their linebackers were injured.

Coaching Career

After his NFL playing days, George Cumby became a football coach. He was the athletic director and head coach at his old high school, Bishop Thomas K. Gorman Catholic School, in 2006. He also coached linebackers at Tyler Junior College.

For three seasons, he was the head football coach at Texas College. This was until August 2014. He also coached at All Saints Episcopal School in Tyler, Texas. He returned to coach at Bishop T.K. Gorman again in 2021–22.