Roger Staubach facts for kids
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Staubach in 2018
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| No. 12 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||
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| Born: | February 5, 1942 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 197 lb (89 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Purcell Marian (Cincinnati, Ohio) |
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| College: | NMMI (1960) Navy (1961–1964) |
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| NFL Draft: | 1964 / Round: 10 / Pick: 129 | ||||||||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1964 / Round: 16 / Pick: 122 | ||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Roger Thomas Staubach (born February 5, 1942) is a famous American former football player. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. People called him "Roger the Dodger", "Captain America", and "Captain Comeback" because of his amazing plays.
Before joining the NFL, Roger went to the U.S. Naval Academy. He played college football for the Navy Midshipmen and won the important Heisman Trophy in 1963. After college, he served in the U.S. Navy, even spending time in Vietnam.
Staubach joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1969. He became one of their most important quarterbacks. He led the Cowboys to the Super Bowl five times, starting in four of them. He helped the team win Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII. He was even named the MVP of Super Bowl VI. Roger is one of only four players to win both the Heisman Trophy and the Super Bowl MVP award. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl six times during his NFL career.
After retiring from football, Roger Staubach started a successful real estate company. He later sold it for a lot of money. In 2018, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a very high honor in the U.S.
Contents
Early Life and School
Roger Staubach was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the only child of Elizabeth and Robert Staubach. His dad sold shoes and leather, and his mom worked as a secretary. Roger grew up in Silverton, a suburb of Cincinnati.
As a kid, he was a Boy Scout. He went to St. John the Evangelist Catholic School. He graduated from Purcell High School (now Purcell Marian High School) in Cincinnati in 1960.
To get ready for his Navy career, Roger spent a year at New Mexico Military Institute. There, he set a school record for passing yards. He also scored 18 touchdowns.
Roger joined the U.S. Naval Academy in 1961. He played quarterback for the Midshipmen. In 1962, during his second year, he got his first chance to play. He helped Navy win a game against Cornell 41-0. He threw for 99 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 88 yards and another touchdown.
A few weeks later, he started in the famous Army–Navy Game. President John F. Kennedy was there for the coin toss. Roger led Navy to a big 34-14 win over Army. He threw two touchdowns and ran for another.
Winning the Heisman Trophy
In 1963, his junior year, Roger had an amazing season. He won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and the Walter Camp Memorial Trophy. He led the Midshipmen to a 9-1 record. They were ranked No. 2 in the country. He even appeared on the cover of Time magazine.
On New Year's Day, Navy played the No. 1 team, the University of Texas, in the 1964 Cotton Bowl. Navy lost that game for the national championship. Earlier that season, Roger led Navy to a big win over rival Notre Dame. Navy did not beat Notre Dame again for 43 years!
During his three seasons at Navy, Roger gained a school-record 4,253 yards. He is the last player from a military academy to win the Heisman Trophy. In 1981, Roger was put into the College Football Hall of Fame. His jersey number (12) was retired by the Naval Academy.
During his time at the Naval Academy, it was discovered that Roger was color-blind. Because of this, he joined the Supply Corps. This job did not require him to tell the difference between certain colors.
After graduating in June 1965, Roger chose to serve one year in South Vietnam. He worked as a Supply Corps officer at the Chu Lai Base Area until 1967. He was in charge of 41 enlisted men.
Roger returned from Vietnam in September 1967. He spent the rest of his Navy career in the United States. He played football on different service teams. This helped him get ready for his future in the National Football League.
Professional Football Career
The Dallas Cowboys drafted Roger Staubach in 1964. The NFL allowed them to draft him early. However, because of his four-year military commitment, he could not play professionally until 1969. He was 27 years old when he became a rookie.
In 1969, Roger left the Navy to join the Cowboys' training camp. The Cowboys reached the Super Bowl in 1970 but lost.
Becoming the Starter
In 1971, Roger became the full-time starting quarterback. He led the Cowboys to 10 wins in a row. This included their first Super Bowl victory! They beat the Miami Dolphins 24-3 in Super Bowl VI in January 1972. Roger was named the game's MVP. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 18 yards.
In 1972, Roger missed most of the season because of a shoulder injury. But in a playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, he came in and led an amazing comeback. He threw two touchdown passes in the last 90 seconds. This turned a 15-point deficit into a 30-28 victory. After that, he got his starting job back and kept it for the rest of his career.
Roger led the Cowboys to another Super Bowl win in 1977. They beat the Denver Broncos 27-10 in Super Bowl XII. He threw for 183 yards and a touchdown. He also led the Cowboys to two other Super Bowl appearances, Super Bowl X and Super Bowl XIII. They lost both times to the Pittsburgh Steelers by only 4 points each game.
Roger played with many great teammates. These included receivers Drew Pearson and Bob Hayes. Many of his teammates are also in the Hall of Fame.
Retirement from Football
In his last NFL season in 1979, Roger had his best year for passing yards (3,586) and touchdowns (27). He decided to retire after that season to protect his health. He had suffered 20 concussions during his career. A doctor told him that another concussion could cause serious problems. He chose to retire, and Danny White took over as the Cowboys' quarterback.
Roger finished his 11 NFL seasons with 22,700 passing yards and 153 touchdowns. He also ran for 2,264 yards and 20 touchdowns. He had a great winning percentage of .750 in regular-season games. He led the NFL in passer rating four times. He was chosen for six Pro Bowls.
Legacy and Honors
Roger Staubach retired from football in March 1980. At that time, he had the highest career passer rating in NFL history. He was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1999, he was ranked No. 29 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
Roger was one of the most famous NFL players of the 1970s. He was known as "Roger The Dodger" for his ability to run and avoid defenders. He was also called "Captain America" because he was the quarterback for "America's Team," the Cowboys. His nickname "Captain Comeback" came from his amazing ability to lead game-winning drives in the fourth quarter. He led the Cowboys to 23 game-winning drives, with 17 of them happening in the final two minutes or overtime.
The "Hail Mary" Pass
Roger's most famous moment was the "Hail Mary pass" in a 1975 playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. With only seconds left and the Cowboys losing 14-10, Roger threw a 50-yard pass to receiver Drew Pearson. Pearson caught the ball and scored a touchdown, winning the game 17-14. After the game, Roger said he just threw the ball and said a "Hail Mary." Since then, any desperate, last-second pass to the end zone is called a ""Hail Mary" pass."
In 2007, Roger was named chairman of the committee to bring the Super Bowl to Dallas in 2011. The NFL chose Dallas as the host city.
In November 2018, Donald Trump gave Roger Staubach the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is one of the highest awards a civilian can receive in the United States.
On August 18, 2023, Roger's high school, Purcell Marian High School, opened a new athletic complex. It was named Staubach Stadium in his honor.
Personal Life and Business
Roger Staubach married Marianne on September 4, 1965. They have five children. They live in Dallas, Texas, and have many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Real Estate Career
In 1977, Roger started his own commercial real estate business, The Staubach Company. He had prepared for this by working in real estate during his football off-seasons. He said he started the business because football players didn't earn as much money back then. He also wanted to have a career after football.
His company helped businesses find and lease office space. It grew very successful. Roger served as its chairman and CEO until 2007.
On July 11, 2008, The Staubach Company was sold to Jones Lang LaSalle for $613 million. Roger became an executive chairman for Jones Lang LaSalle until he retired in 2018.
Other Activities
Roger Staubach also worked as a spokesperson for clothing and medicine brands. For a short time, he was a football commentator for CBS Sports.
He also co-owned Hall of Fame Racing, a NASCAR team, with fellow former Cowboy Troy Aikman.
See also
In Spanish: Roger Staubach para niños
