Keith Bostic (American football) facts for kids

William Keith Bostic (born January 17, 1961) is a former American football player. He played as a safety for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Keith Bostic played for the Houston Oilers and the Cleveland Browns. He was even a defensive captain for the Oilers.

Bostic was chosen for the Pro Bowl once in 1987. He almost made it a second time, but missed out by a tiebreaker. In his Pro Bowl season, he caught the most interceptions in the American Football Conference. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Michigan Wolverines.

College Football Career

Bostic played in two Rose Bowls during his college career.

Keith Bostic was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was a star player at Pioneer High School in his hometown. After high school, he stayed in Ann Arbor to play for the University of Michigan. He played college football from 1979 to 1982.

In 1980, Bostic started eight games for Michigan. He made an interception in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1981. This game was a big win for Michigan's coach, Bo Schembechler. Bostic started eleven games in 1981 and twelve in 1982. He was named first-team All-Big Ten in 1982.

When Bostic finished college, he was second on Michigan's list for career interceptions. He had ten interceptions in total. He also ranks high in school history for fumble recoveries. He had four fumble recoveries in one season and six in his career.

Professional Football Career

Keith Bostic was chosen by the Houston Oilers in the 1983 NFL draft. He was the 42nd player picked overall. He also had a chance to play for the Michigan Panthers in another league called the USFL. Bostic decided to join the Oilers, who were rebuilding their team at the time.

He started playing for the Oilers in the 1983 NFL season. He started the last 12 games that year. After that, he started every game for the Oilers until he left the team in 1989. Even though the Oilers had some tough seasons, Bostic became one of the best safeties in the league. In the 1985 NFL season, he had five quarterback sacks, three interceptions, and one fumble recovery.

Playing for Coach Glanville

Bostic's strong and physical way of playing football was a great fit for coach Jerry Glanville. Glanville became the Oilers' head coach in 1986. Before the 1987 NFL season, Bostic signed a new contract. That year, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl. He was also named second-team All-Pro.

During the 1987 season, Bostic had six interceptions, which was a career high. This was the second-most in the entire NFL that year. He also had three quarterback sacks and a fumble recovery. Coach Glanville led the Oilers to the playoffs in both 1987 and 1988.

By his sixth season, Bostic was one of the longest-playing Oilers. He started 88 games in a row for the team. In 1989, Bostic left the Oilers. He then signed with the Indianapolis Colts, but they released him during training camp. In 1990, the Cleveland Browns signed him, but he was released by them later that season.

Bostic's Playing Style

Keith Bostic was known for his very physical style of play. Other players respected him for how tough he was on the field. For example, Lester Hayes, a famous player, called Bostic one of his "sons of dirt." This meant Bostic played with a lot of power and toughness, just like Hayes did.

Bostic was called "Batman" because of his playing style. He was strong like a linebacker but could run as fast as a cornerback. Coach Glanville once asked his team to pick their three toughest players to be captains. Bostic was chosen from the Oilers' defense. He was known for being a big hitter with great athletic skills.

Personal Life

During the football offseasons, Keith Bostic played on the Oilers' summer basketball team. They traveled around the state to raise money for charities. He was known as the best player on that team.

Keith Bostic has two sons. His son, Tony Bostic, played running back for the New Mexico State Aggies. His younger son, William, followed his dad's path and played linebacker for the University of Michigan.