RIP Roman Gabriel

[SportsFan68]

One of the first football names I remember --

Los Angeles Rams legend Roman Gabriel died at the age of 83 on Saturday morning, his son announced on social media.

Gabriel spent the first 11 years of his NFL career with the Rams after being drafted second overall in 1962. During his 11 seasons in Los Angeles, he made the Pro Bowl three times and was a first-team All-Pro in 1969 – the same year he was voted league MVP. He went 74-39-6 as the team’s starting quarterback, throwing 154 touchdown passes and 112 interceptions.

Gabriel finished his career with the Eagles, playing five years in Philadelphia from 1973. He was a Pro Bowler once as a member of the Eagles, his first season with the team.

He put together a decorated collegiate career at NC State, too, earning first-team All-American honors in 1960 and 1961, as well as being voted a two-time ACC Player of the Year. He had his No. 18 jersey retired by the Wolfpack, one of just eight players to receive that honor.

[silverscreenselect]

At the height of Gabriel's career, he and then-teammate Merlin Olsen appeared in the John Wayne/Rock Hudson movie The Undefeated. He and Olsen were featured prominently in the movie's marketing. He played an Indian scout who had sort of been adopted by Wayne. It was a fairly sizable role (Olsen played one of the Confederate soldiers and went on to a fairly substantial TV acting career.) But as far as I know, that marked the end of Gabriel's acting career.

[kroxquo]

He also played a headhunter on an episode of Gilligan's Island.