Al Romano
{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1953)}}
{{For|the musician|Al B. Romano}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox gridiron football person
| name = Al Romano
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|4|4}}
| birth_place = Schenectady, New York, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| team =
| import = Yes
| position1 = Defensive tackle
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 225
| college = Pittsburgh (1973–1976)
| high_school = Solvay (Solvay, New York)
| NFLDraftedYear = 1977
| NFLDraftedRound = 11
| NFLDraftedPick = 289
| NFLDraftedTeam = Houston Oilers
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|1977}}–{{CFL Year|1978}}
| playing_team1 = Hamilton Tiger-Cats
| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|1978}}
| playing_team2 = Toronto Argonauts
| career_highlights =
- National champion (1976)
- Consensus All-American (1976)
- 2× First-team All-East (1975, 1976)
}}
Albert Romano (born April 4, 1954) is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played two seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts. He was selected by the Houston Oilers in the eleventh round of the 1977 NFL draft. Romano played college football at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a consensus All-American in 1976.
Early life
Albert Romano was born on April 4, 1954, in Schenectady, New York.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/r/roma01150.html | title=Al Romano | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=22 December 2024}} He attended Solvay High School in Solvay, New York.{{cite web | url=http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2011/11/solvay_says_its_goodbyes_to_hi.html | title=Solvay says its goodbyes to high school football coaching icon Al Merola | publisher=syracuse.com | date=November 24, 2011 | accessdate=27 August 2014 | author=Webb, Donnie}}{{cite web | url=http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2011/06/greater_syracuse_hall_of_fame.html | title=Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame rewards nine for their work | publisher=syracuse.com | date=June 17, 2011 | accessdate=27 August 2014 | author=Kramer, Lindsay}} He participated in football, track, and wrestling in high school.{{cite web | url=https://www.greatersyracusesportshalloffame.com/al-romano | title=Al Romano | publisher=greatersyracusesportshalloffame.com | accessdate=22 December 2024}} Romano was a football team captain during his junior and senior years and also earned all-county honors both seasons. He was inducted into the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
College career
After a year of prep school in Virginia, Romano was a four-year letterman for the Pittsburgh Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh from 1973 to 1976. He was named the most valuable lineman of the 1975 Sun Bowl. He garnered consensus All-American recognition in 1976 as the 1976 Panthers were named consensus national champions.{{cite web|title=2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)|year=2014|accessdate=August 16, 2014|page=6|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf|archive-date=November 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126094941/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/awards.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web | url=http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/052306aaa.html | title=Al Romano, 1976 | publisher=pittsburghpanthers.com/ | accessdate=27 August 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117033414/http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/052306aaa.html | archive-date=17 November 2015 | url-status=dead }} He was also named first-team All-East by the Associated Press (AP) in 1975 and first-team All-East by both the AP and United Press International in 1976.{{cite news|title=Kruczek, Dorsett Head All-East AP Grid Team|newspaper=The Oil City Derrick|date=December 4, 1975|page=20|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106297363/kruczek-dorsett-head-all-east-ap-grid/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Dorsett Leads Pitt Plunder Of All-East Votes|newspaper=Observer-Reporter|date=December 15, 1976|page=D-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VOZdAAAAIBAJ&dq=1976+All-East+football+team+second&pg=PA44&article_id=1285,2353938}}{{cite news|title=Pitt Places Seven On All-East Team|newspaper=York Daily Record|date=December 1, 1976|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106298937/pitt-places-seven-on-all-east-team/|via=Newspapers.com}} Romano was inducted into the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.{{cite web | url=https://pittsburghpanthers.com/honors/pitt-athletics-hall-of-fame/al-romano/74 | title=Al Romano | publisher=pittsburghpanthers.com | accessdate=22 December 2024}}
Professional career
Romano was selected by the Houston Oilers in the eleventh round, with the 289th overall pick, of the 1977 NFL draft. He signed with the Oilers but was released later in 1977.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/r/roma01150.html | title=Al Romano NFL Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=22 December 2024}}
Romano played in eight games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1977, recovering one fumble. He appeared in three games in 1978.
Romano also played in six games for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL during the 1978 season, recording one interception.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=romanal001 Stats Crew profile]
{{Houston Oilers 1977 draft navbox}}
{{1976 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Romano, Al}}
Category:Players of American football from New York (state)
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Canadian football defensive linemen
Category:Players of Canadian football from New York (state)
Category:Pittsburgh Panthers football players
Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats players
Category:Toronto Argonauts players
Category:All-American college football players
Category:Sportspeople from Schenectady, New York
Category:People from Solvay, New York