Bill Keating (American football)
{{Short description|American football player (1944–2015)}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Bill Keating
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| number = 61, 72
| position = Defensive tackle, Guard
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|11|22}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|1|1|1944|11|22}}
| death_place = Denver, Colorado
| high_school = St. Patrick High School
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 242
| college = Michigan
| undraftedyear =
| pastteams =
| pfr = KeatBi20.htm
}}
William Lawrence Keating (November 22, 1944 – January 1, 2015) was an American professional football player in the American Football League (AFL). He played college football for the University of Michigan and professionally for the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins during the 1960s.{{cite web|url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_27243695/prominent-attorney-keating-dies-at-70|title=Prominent Colorado attorney and former Bronco Bill Keating dies at 70|date=January 2015 |publisher=}} After his playing career, he became a trial lawyer.
University of Michigan
Keating played college football as a guard for the University of Michigan from 1963 to 1965.{{cite web|title=University of Michigan All-time Rosters Search Page|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|url=http://141.211.39.65/allroster/fbsearch.htm|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928200732/http://141.211.39.65/allroster/fbsearch.htm|archivedate=2007-09-28}}(Enter Keating as the last name and William as the first name on the search page, and press enter) He helped lead the 1964 Michigan Wolverines football team to the Big Ten Championship and a victory in the 1965 Rose Bowl.{{cite news|author=Roy Damer|title=Wolverine Guard Tells of Incentive|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=August 25, 1965|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/582449992.html?dids=582449992:582449992&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+25%2C+1965&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Wolverine+Guard+Tells+of+Incentive&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107121215/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/582449992.html?dids=582449992:582449992&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+25,+1965&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Wolverine+Guard+Tells+of+Incentive&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2012}}{{cite news|title=Timberlake Only Part of Story: Five Key Men|newspaper=Christian Science Monitor|date=December 8, 1964|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/csmonitor_historic/access/219257432.html?dids=219257432:219257432&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Dec+08%2C+1964&author=By+Harry+Molter+Sports+Correspondent+of+The+Christian+Science+Monitor&pub=Christian+Science+Monitor&desc=Timberlake+Only+Part+of+Story&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107121226/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/csmonitor_historic/access/219257432.html?dids=219257432:219257432&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Dec+08,+1964&author=By+Harry+Molter+Sports+Correspondent+of+The+Christian+Science+Monitor&pub=Christian+Science+Monitor&desc=Timberlake+Only+Part+of+Story&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2012}}("The two defensive linemen who came through for the Wolverines are junior guard Bill Keating and senior tackle Arnie Simkus.")
Professional football
Keating played two seasons of professional football as a defensive tackle and guard for the Denver Broncos (1966–1967) and Miami Dolphins (1967), appearing in 22 AFL or NFL games.{{cite web|title=Bill Keating|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KeatBi20.htm}} He signed with the Broncos as a free agent in June 1966.{{cite news|title=Grid Broncos Get Two Free Agents|newspaper=The Spokesman-Reviewt|date=June 9, 1966|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZDlWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xugDAAAAIBAJ&pg=944,2909931&dq=bill-keating+denver&hl=en}} He was signed by the Dolphins after he was put on waivers by the Broncos in October 1967.{{cite news|title=Transactions|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|date=October 27, 1967|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/511416282.html?dids=511416282:511416282&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+27%2C+1967&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Other+28+--+No+Title&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107121239/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/511416282.html?dids=511416282:511416282&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+27,+1967&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Other+28+--+No+Title&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2012}} The Dolphins placed him on waivers at the end of November 1967.{{cite news|title=Dolphs Waiver Tackle Keating|newspaper=Ocala Star-Banner|date=November 29, 1967|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=J4dPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UAUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2086,6136354&dq=bill-keating+miami&hl=en}}
Keating's older brother Tom Keating also played college football for the University of Michigan and several years of professional football.
Legal career
After retiring from football, Keating attended the University of Denver College of Law, receiving his J.D. degree in 1971. He was a founding partner of the Colorado law firm of Fogel, Keating, Wagner, Polidori, Shaffner (known in 2025 as Keating Wagner Polidori Free). He was a trial lawyer specializing in plaintiffs' personal injury and wrongful death litigation. He was a fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American Academy of Trial Lawyers. He was president of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association from 1991 to 1992.{{cite web|title=William L. Keating Bio|publisher=Fogel, Keating, Wagner, Polidori Shaffner|url=http://www.fkwlaw.com/page.asp?p=wkeating.html}} He was so respected by the Colorado Bar that the University of Denver College of Law selects an annual winner of the William L. Keating Outstanding Alumni Award at its DU Law Stars dinner.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Keating, Bill}}
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Michigan Wolverines football players
Category:Denver Broncos (AFL) players
Category:Miami Dolphins players
Category:Sturm College of Law alumni
Category:Players of American football from Chicago