Gilbert Renfroe facts for kids

Gilbert Renfroe, born on February 18, 1963, is a former American football player. He was a talented quarterback who played in different leagues. These included the CFL and the Arena Football League (AFL).

Gilbert Renfroe's Early Football Days

College Football Star

Gilbert Renfroe played college football at Tennessee State University from 1982 to 1985. He was a fantastic player for the Tennessee State Tigers. He became one of their top players ever, ranking fourth in total yards gained and passing yards.

Starting in the CFL

After college, Gilbert wasn't picked by any NFL teams. But he didn't give up! In 1986, he joined the Ottawa Rough Riders in the CFL. The next year, he was traded to the Toronto Argonauts.

He shared the starting quarterback job with another new player, John Congemi. The Argonauts had a great season, finishing with 11 wins. They even made it to the 75th Grey Cup, which is like the championship game for the CFL.

Grey Cup Performance

Gilbert started the Grey Cup game and threw two touchdown passes. One was a long 61-yard pass! He got injured in the third quarter and had to leave the game. The Argonauts were behind by a small amount. Even though his team tried hard, they lost the game by just two points.

In 1988, Gilbert spent most of the season on the bench. John Congemi was the main starter. In 1989, John Congemi started again. But when he got injured in September, Gilbert Renfroe became the Argonauts' starting quarterback once more.

Playing in the NFL

Joining the Atlanta Falcons

In 1990, Gilbert Renfroe moved to the NFL. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons on February 28, 1990. He worked hard but was cut from the team right before the season started.

However, he was re-signed just eight days later! This happened because another player, Hugh Millen, asked to leave the team. Gilbert practiced with the Falcons and even played a little on special teams in one game. But he was released again soon after.

Time with the Minnesota Vikings

On September 26, Gilbert signed with the Minnesota Vikings. Their starting quarterback, Wade Wilson, was out due to thumb surgery. Gilbert Renfroe made history as the Vikings' first ever African-American quarterback. He stayed with the Vikings until November 21, when Wade Wilson returned from his injury.

Back to the Falcons and CFL

Gilbert returned to the Falcons the next season. But he was cut again after the team traded for Billy Joe Tolliver. This meant there was no spot for Gilbert behind Chris Miller and Brett Favre. After leaving the Falcons, he played nine games for the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL.

Arena Football League Success

Joining the Detroit Drive

After trying out for the Kansas City Chiefs, Gilbert Renfroe joined the Detroit Drive in the Arena Football League (AFL). This league plays football indoors on a smaller field.

In his first AFL season, he played very well. He completed 103 passes for 1,417 yards and threw 24 touchdowns! He led the Detroit Drive to win ArenaBowl VI, which is the AFL championship game. They beat the Orlando Predators 56–38.

ArenaBowl Champion

In that championship game, Gilbert completed 17 passes for 229 yards. He threw four touchdowns and didn't throw any interceptions! His completion rate of 65.8% was a record for the ArenaBowl at that time.

Another Strong Season

Gilbert had another successful season the following year. He completed 184 passes for 2,635 yards and threw 34 touchdowns. The Detroit Drive had an amazing record of 11 wins and only 1 loss. They made it to ArenaBowl VII again. However, they were defeated by the Tampa Bay Storm in a tough game.

Final CFL Stint

In 1994, Gilbert Renfroe returned to the CFL. He signed with the new Shreveport Pirates team. But he was cut from the team before the season began.