Rick Upchurch facts for kids
Upchurch in 2014
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| Position: | Wide receiver, Return specialist |
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| Born: | May 20, 1952 Toledo, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 175 lb (79 kg) | ||||||||||||
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| High school: | Springfield (Holland, Ohio) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Minnesota | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1975 / Round: 4 / Pick: 95 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Rick Upchurch is a famous former football player. He was a wide receiver and a return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). Rick played his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos team from 1975 to 1983. Many people consider him one of the best return specialists of all time. He was even chosen for two different NFL All-Decade teams, which is a big honor!
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Rick's College Football Journey
Before Rick Upchurch became a pro, he played football in college. He went to Springfield High School in Holland, Ohio. After high school, he played at Centerville Community College in Iowa.
Then, Rick transferred to the University of Minnesota. During his two years playing for the Minnesota Gophers, he showed off his amazing skills.
- He ran for 1,783 yards.
- He caught 18 passes for 242 yards.
- He scored 18 touchdowns, which means he helped his team score points!
- He also set a school record for return yards in one season with 305 yards.
In 2001, Rick was honored by being added to Minnesota's athletic hall of fame.
Rick's Amazing NFL Career
Rick Upchurch played for nine seasons in the NFL, and he was excellent as both a receiver and a kick returner. A kick returner is a player who catches the ball after the other team kicks it and tries to run it back as far as possible.
Rookie Season and Early Success
In his first year with the Denver Broncos in 1975, Rick showed everyone what he could do:
- He ran for 97 yards.
- He caught 18 passes for 436 yards.
- He returned 27 punts for 312 yards.
- He also returned kickoffs for 1,014 yards.
In his second season, Rick set an NFL record by returning four punts for touchdowns! This means he caught the ball after a punt and ran all the way to the end zone four times in one season. Because of his great play, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl is a special game where the best players from different teams get to play together.
Super Bowl Appearance
In the 1977 season, Rick led the NFL with 653 punt return yards. His amazing returns helped the Denver Broncos reach the Super Bowl for the very first time! The Super Bowl is the championship game of the NFL.
The Broncos played against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XII. Even though the Broncos lost the game 27–10, Rick Upchurch played very well. He gained 125 total yards in the game. This included a Super Bowl record 67-yard kickoff return in the third quarter. This long return helped set up the Broncos' only touchdown in the game.
Later Career and Records
Rick Upchurch continued to play for the Broncos until the 1983 season. He was the best in the NFL for punt return average twice, in 1978 and 1982. He was also chosen for the Pro Bowl three more times (in 1978, 1979, and 1982).
When he retired, Rick had some impressive numbers:
- 49 runs for 349 rushing yards.
- 267 catches for 4,369 receiving yards.
- 248 punt returns for 3,008 yards.
- 95 kickoff returns for 2,355 yards.
In total, Rick gained 10,081 yards and scored 35 touchdowns! Eight of his touchdowns came from returning punts, 24 from catching passes, and three from running the ball. He was also named All-Pro five times, which means he was recognized as one of the best players in the league.
When Rick retired, he was the NFL's all-time leader in punt return yards. His eight punt returns for touchdowns tied an NFL record. He is one of only a few players in NFL history to have a career average of over 12 yards per punt return, which shows how good he was at making big plays!
Life After Football
After Rick Upchurch stopped playing professional football, he became a coach. He coached football at Tabor College in Kansas. Later, he became the head football coach at East High School in Pueblo, Colorado.
Today, Rick Upchurch lives in Mesquite, Nevada. He often visits nearby towns to sign autographs for Denver Broncos fans. He is still remembered as one of the greatest return specialists in NFL history.
Rick's Legacy and Broncos Records
Rick Upchurch holds eleven different records for the Denver Broncos team. These records show how important he was to the team's history:
- Punt Returns: He holds the record for the most punt returns in his career (248), in a single season (51 in 1977), and in one game (eight on October 22, 1978, tied with Trindon Holliday).
- Punt Return Yards: He has the most punt return yards in his career (3,008) and in a single season (653 in 1977).
- Punt Return Touchdowns: He scored the most punt return touchdowns in his career (eight) and in a single season (four in 1976, tied with Darrien Gordon). He also scored two in one game on September 26, 1976, which is a record.
- Total Return Yards: He has the most total return yards in his career (5,363), in playoff games (351), and in a single playoff season (222 in 1977).
Rick's Family Life
Rick Upchurch is married and has four children.
