Roy Green facts for kids
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Green in 1984
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| No. 25, 81 | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | June 30, 1957 Magnolia, Arkansas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Magnolia | ||||||
| College: | Henderson State | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1979 / Round: 4 / Pick: 89 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Roy Calvin ("Jet Stream") Green (born June 30, 1957) is a former American football player. He was a talented wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Roy Green played most of his career for the St. Louis and Phoenix Cardinals. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles for two seasons.
Contents
Early Life and College Football
Growing Up in Arkansas
Roy Green was born in Magnolia, Arkansas. This is where he grew up and started playing football.
Playing for Henderson State
Green played college football at Henderson State University. He was a defensive back and also returned kicks. He was so good that he earned All-American status. This means he was recognized as one of the best college players in the country.
Professional Football Career
Starting with the Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals picked Roy Green in the fourth round of the 1979 NFL draft. He started as a strong safety and a kick returner. In his first year, 1979, he mostly returned kicks. He also returned punts and was a backup safety.
He was amazing at returning kicks right away. He even had a 106-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. This play tied an NFL record at the time! In 1980, he played as a free safety and had one interception. He also continued to return kicks and punts.
Becoming a Two-Way Player
In 1981, Roy Green became a "two-way player." This means he played both offense and defense. He started playing as a wide receiver part-time. He caught 33 passes for 708 yards, averaging over 21 yards per catch.
On September 20, 1981, he caught a 58-yard touchdown pass and also made an interception in the same game. This was a rare achievement! He did this two more times that year. Playing both offense and defense, plus special teams, meant he was on the field for many plays. In one game in 1981, he played an incredible 108 snaps!
His Best Seasons
Roy Green truly became a star in the next few years. In 1983, he led the entire NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns. In 1984, he led the league with 1,555 receiving yards. This was the third-highest total ever at that time.
He was chosen as a First-team All-Pro in both 1983 and 1984. He also played in the Pro Bowl in those years. This shows he was one of the best players in the league.
Later Years and Retirement
Even though the Cardinals team wasn't always winning, Roy Green was a standout player. He continued to play for the Cardinals when they moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1987. In 1988, he had another great season with 1,097 receiving yards. This was his third season with over 1,000 yards.
In 1991, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns. Later that year, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles needed an experienced wide receiver. He played well, even catching six passes for 114 yards in one game after being with the team for only four days. Roy Green played sparingly in 1992 and then retired in 1993.
Famous football coach John Madden once said he thought Roy Green was not just the best wide receiver, but the best player in the game. Green finished his career with 559 catches for 8,965 yards and 66 touchdowns. He also gained many yards returning kicks and punts.
Honors and Recognition
Roy Green has received many honors for his amazing career:
- In 2016, he was added to the Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor.
- In 2017, he was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.
- His high school, Magnolia High School, retired his number 25 jersey in 2019.
Honors and Awards
- 1983-1984: Selected First-Team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl
- 1997: Inducted into the Henderson State University Athletics Hall of Fame
- 2001: Inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame
- 2016: Inducted into the Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor
- 2017: Inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame
- 2019: Magnolia High School retired his number 25 jersey
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1979 | STL | 16 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 |
| 1980 | STL | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | STL | 16 | 2 | 33 | 708 | 21.5 | 60 | 4 |
| 1982 | STL | 9 | 9 | 32 | 453 | 14.2 | 42 | 3 |
| 1983 | STL | 16 | 15 | 78 | 1,227 | 15.7 | 71 | 14 |
| 1984 | STL | 16 | 16 | 78 | 1,555 | 19.9 | 83 | 12 |
| 1985 | STL | 13 | 13 | 50 | 693 | 13.9 | 47 | 5 |
| 1986 | STL | 11 | 10 | 42 | 517 | 12.3 | 48 | 6 |
| 1987 | STL | 12 | 12 | 43 | 731 | 17.0 | 57 | 4 |
| 1988 | PHO | 16 | 16 | 68 | 1,097 | 16.1 | 52 | 7 |
| 1989 | PHO | 12 | 12 | 44 | 703 | 16.0 | 59 | 7 |
| 1990 | PHO | 16 | 16 | 53 | 797 | 15.0 | 54 | 4 |
| 1991 | PHI | 13 | 3 | 29 | 364 | 12.6 | 42 | 0 |
| 1992 | PHI | 9 | 0 | 8 | 105 | 13.1 | 21 | 0 |
| 190 | 130 | 559 | 8,965 | 16.0 | 83 | 66 | ||
Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1982 | STL | 1 | 1 | 9 | 113 | 12.6 | 29 | 0 |
| 1992 | PHI | 2 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 14 | 0 |
| 3 | 1 | 10 | 127 | 12.7 | 29 | 0 | ||
Personal Life and Health
Family Life
Roy Green married his wife, Sharon, before the 1980 NFL season. His brother and some teammates were part of their wedding.
Helping Others with Sleep Apnea
After retiring from football, Green worked as part of the Arizona Cardinals broadcast team. He also started helping people with sleep apnea. This is a condition where a person stops breathing for short periods during sleep.
He teamed up with a group called Pro Player Health Alliance. They hold free events to teach people about sleep apnea. By 2016, he had helped over 1,600 former players get treatment for this condition.
Facing Kidney Disease
In 2012, Roy Green was diagnosed with kidney disease. This was likely due to using anti-inflammatory medicines during his playing career. After a year of dialysis, where a machine cleans the blood, both of his daughters offered to donate a kidney to him. His daughter Miyosha was chosen, and he had a successful kidney transplant surgery in November 2013.
