Bo Rather
{{Short description|American football player (1950–2018)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Bo Rather
| image =
| position = Wide receiver
| number = 82, 80, 85
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1950|10|7}}
| birth_place = Sandusky, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|4|2|1950|10|7}}
| death_place = Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lbs = 184
| draftyear = 1973
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 104
| high_school = Sandusky (OH)
| college = Michigan
| pastteams =
- Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|1973}})
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1974|1978}})
- Miami Dolphins (1978)
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 92
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 1,467
| statlabel3 = Receiving TDs
| statvalue3 = 7
| pfr = RathBo00
| HOF =
| CollegeHOF =
}}
David Elmer "Bo" Rather (October 7, 1950 – April 2, 2018) was an American professional football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1970 to 1972 and as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Miami Dolphins in 1973 and 1978 and for the Chicago Bears from 1974 to 1978. In six years of playing in the NFL, Rather appeared in 64 games and had 92 receptions for 1,467 yards and seven touchdowns.
Early life
University of Michigan
Rather enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1969 and played college football for Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1970 to 1972.{{cite web|title=All-Time Football Roster Database|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|accessdate=March 26, 2015|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/rosters/football.php}} As a sophomore in 1970, Rather was a defensive back who started two games for the Wolverines.{{cite web|title=1970 Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|accessdate=March 27, 2015|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1970fbt.htm}}
As a junior, Rather was moved to the offense where he started 11 games at the split end position for the 1971 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled an 11-1 record, scored 421 points,{{cite news|title=1971 Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|accessdate=March 26, 2015|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1971fbt.htm}} and broke Michigan's all-time record with 3,977 net rushing yards (331 rushing yards per game).{{cite web |title=Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page |publisher=University of Michigan |accessdate=March 23, 2015 |url=http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112175906/http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php |archivedate=November 12, 2007 }}(to retrieve information for a particular season, go to "Games & Totals by Season" and select the year for which statistics are to be retrieved) In September 1971, Rather led Michigan to a 21-6 victory over Northwestern with 114 all-purpose yards and a rushing touchdown.{{cite news|title=Michigan Beats Northwestern 21-6|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|author=Cooper Rollow|date=September 12, 1971|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/597566152.html?dids=597566152:597566152&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+12%2C+1971&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Michigan+Beats+Northwestern+21-6&pqatl=google|access-date=July 5, 2017|archive-date=November 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107100816/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/597566152.html?dids=597566152:597566152&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+12,+1971&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Michigan+Beats+Northwestern+21-6&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}} However, he played for a run-oriented offense, catching only 11 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns.
As a senior, Rather started six games at split end for the 1972 Wolverines that compiled a 10-1 record. Rather shared playing time at the split end position with Gil Chapman.{{cite news|title=1972 Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|accessdate=March 26, 2015|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1972fbt.htm}} In September 1972, Rather caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Dennis Franklin to give Michigan a 7-0 victory over Northwestern.{{cite news|title=Michigan Triumphs 7-0|date=September 17, 1972|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1972/09/17/91346531.pdf}} During the 1972 season, Rather caught a total of 15 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns.
Rather gained a total of 796 all-purpose yards for Michigan, including 378 receiving yards and 302 yards on kickoff returns.{{cite web |title=Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page |publisher=University of Michigan |url=http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php |accessdate=July 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112175906/http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php |archivedate=November 12, 2007 }}
Professional football
Rather was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round (104th overall pick) of the 1973 NFL draft. He appeared in only six games for the Dolphins during the 1973 NFL season and had no pass receptions. He next played for the Chicago Bears as a wide receiver from 1974 to 1978. During his time with the Bears, Rather appeared in 55 games, 37 as a starter, and caught 91 passes for 1,428 yards and seven touchdowns. Rather returned to the Dolphins for the final three games of the 1979 NFL season.
In six years of playing in the NFL, Rather appeared in 64 games and had 92 receptions for 1,467 yards and seven touchdowns.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Dolphins1973DraftPicks}}
{{Super Bowl VIII}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rather, Bo}}
Category:American football defensive backs
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Chicago Bears players
Category:Miami Dolphins players