Randy Beverly facts for kids

Randy Beverly was a professional football player. He was born on April 3, 1944. Randy played as a cornerback in two major leagues: the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Colorado State Rams. Randy Beverly is best known for his time with the New York Jets. He made two important interceptions in their big win at Super Bowl III in 1969.

Randy Beverly's Early Football Journey

Randy Beverly grew up in Wildwood, a town in southern New Jersey. He went to Wildwood High School. While there, he showed his athletic skills by winning the state championship in the long jump.

After high school, Randy attended a junior college in Trinidad, Colorado. He was so good at football that he was named an All-American player. Later, he went to Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. He continued to play football there. One memorable play at Colorado State was when he returned a kick-off for an amazing 99 yards!

Becoming a Pro Player

Many people thought Randy was too small to play professional football. Because of this, he was not chosen in the 1967 NFL/AFL draft. But Randy didn't give up! He signed with the New York Jets as a rookie free agent in the fall of 1967. He received a $500 bonus for signing and a contract for $12,500 for one year.

In 1968, Randy Beverly became a starting cornerback for the Jets. The team had a great season, winning 11 games and losing only 3. They won the American Football League East division. The Jets then beat the Oakland Raiders in the AFL Championship game. This win meant they would play against the Baltimore Colts from the National Football League in Super Bowl III.

Randy Beverly and Super Bowl III

The Jets had a strong defense throughout the 1968 season. However, many experts didn't think their passing defense was good enough for Super Bowl III. The Jets were considered huge underdogs, meaning most people expected them to lose by a lot. They were predicted to lose by 18 points!

Because Randy Beverly was smaller than other players, the Colts' quarterback, Earl Morrall, often tried to throw passes his way. But Randy played an amazing game. He made history by becoming the first player ever to get two interceptions in a Super Bowl.

Key Plays in the Game

In the first part of the game, the Colts were moving the ball well. It looked like they would score easily. They got close to the Jets' goal line, at the 10-yard-line. Morrall threw a pass into the end zone. The ball bounced off a Jets player, then hit a Colts player's shoulder pads. Randy Beverly quickly saw the ball, tracked it, and caught it in the end zone. This play stopped the Colts from scoring on their first try.

The Jets' defense kept stopping the Colts for the rest of the first half. The Colts didn't score any points. Because of this, the Colts brought in their famous quarterback, Johnny Unitas. Unitas started to lead the Colts down the field, looking like they would finally score a touchdown. He threw a pass to one of his wide receivers in the end zone. But Randy Beverly stepped in front of the receiver and caught the ball! He then kneeled down in the end zone for a touchback, which meant the Jets got the ball back.

The Colts did manage to score a touchdown late in the game. But the Jets won 16–7. This victory is still seen as one of the biggest upsets in the history of professional sports in the United States.

Randy Beverly's Later Career

Randy Beverly played one more season with the Jets in 1969. In 1970, the Jets traded Randy to the San Diego Chargers. In return, the Jets received a wide receiver named Richard Trapp. The Chargers later let Randy go. He then signed with the Boston Patriots, where he played on special teams.

Even though his two interceptions in the Super Bowl were very important, he only caught four more passes during the rest of his NFL career. Later, he played in the World Football League (WFL). He played for the New York Stars with other former Jets players from the Super Bowl, like Gerry Philbin, George Sauer, Jr., John Dockery, and Vito (Babe) Parilli.

Life After Football

Today, Randy Beverly lives in Monroe Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. He often goes to New York Jets home games at Giants Stadium with other former Jets players. He is a husband, a father, a grandfather to eight grandchildren, and a great-grandfather to one great-grandson. His grandchildren are Sean, Vanessa, Briana, Victoria, Brittany, Stefania, Fabio Randy, and Isaiah Pierce. His great-grandson is named Nicolas.

One of his sons, Randy Beverly Jr., became a football coach. He was the head coach for a team in Sweden called the Örebro Black Knights. Before that, he coached the Milano Rams.

See also

• List of American Football League players