Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Football
Related: About this forumRoman Gabriel, legendary Rams QB and former NFL MVP, dead at 83
Roman Gabriel had big size and a big arm when he was the No. 2 draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1962. Even while playing in an era of grinding it out on the ground, he still holds the Rams team record with 154 touchdown passes.
Gabriel, the first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969, died Saturday. He was 83. His son, Roman Gabriel III, announced his fathers death on social media, saying he died peacefully at home of natural causes.
Gabriel, who played at North Carolina State and was a two-time player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. He was 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, big for a quarterback in that era. Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi once described him as a big telephone pole, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Gabriel was such a hot prospect that the Rams made him the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft, and the Oakland Raiders of the rival AFL selected him No. 1. Gabriel wound up signing with the Rams, though it took until George Allen was hired as coach in 1966 for Gabriel to start leaving a mark. From 1967 to 1970, Gabriel led the Rams to a 41-14-4 record and two division titles, though never a playoff game. He was voted MVP in 1969 after throwing for 2,549 yards with 24 touchdown passes and five rushing scores.
https://nypost.com/2024/04/21/sports/roman-gabriel-former-rams-and-eagles-qb-dead-at-83/
Gabriel, the first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969, died Saturday. He was 83. His son, Roman Gabriel III, announced his fathers death on social media, saying he died peacefully at home of natural causes.
Gabriel, who played at North Carolina State and was a two-time player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. He was 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, big for a quarterback in that era. Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi once described him as a big telephone pole, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Gabriel was such a hot prospect that the Rams made him the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft, and the Oakland Raiders of the rival AFL selected him No. 1. Gabriel wound up signing with the Rams, though it took until George Allen was hired as coach in 1966 for Gabriel to start leaving a mark. From 1967 to 1970, Gabriel led the Rams to a 41-14-4 record and two division titles, though never a playoff game. He was voted MVP in 1969 after throwing for 2,549 yards with 24 touchdown passes and five rushing scores.
https://nypost.com/2024/04/21/sports/roman-gabriel-former-rams-and-eagles-qb-dead-at-83/
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
7 replies, 1314 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (7)
ReplyReply to this post
7 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Roman Gabriel, legendary Rams QB and former NFL MVP, dead at 83 (Original Post)
BeyondGeography
Apr 2024
OP
ChazII
(6,321 posts)1. He was the quarterback for the Rams
when I first started watching football.
BeyondGeography
(40,013 posts)4. One of my first NFL memories was a Packers/Rams game in LA
It was a regular season game in December of 1967 and I was watching from dark and cold NY. It was impossibly sunny in LA and they had a quarterback with the impossibly cool name of Roman Gabriel who looked as big or bigger than most of the defenders.
OAITW r.2.0
(28,361 posts)2. Sad....
I grew up on the East Coast watching the CBS NFL late game. Seemed to always be the Rams. Gabriel was the 1st QB I really took an interest in. He was one of the 1st QBs that was tall and had a big arm.
Botany
(72,476 posts)3. The fearsome foursome, the Purple People Eaters, Fran, and Roman
I was but a child.
Silent Type
(6,656 posts)5. Lived in Raleigh when Gabriel was at NC State. Our peewee football team played just before a State game, and
I got to stand next to him as a 9 year old. He was tall.
OldBaldy1701E
(6,339 posts)6. Around Hillsborough St., that name is Legend.
I was born right after he graduated. Being a lifelong Wolfpack fan, it is a name that invokes great memories.
GreenWave
(9,167 posts)7. Hollywood had a couple of decades of films about the Romans.
Then he comes along in LA. You just can't write a script like that,