Bob Pollard
{{Short description|American football player (born 1948)}}
{{for-multi|the English footballer|Bob Pollard (footballer)|other people|Robert Pollard (disambiguation)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=January 2015}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=January 2015}}
}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Bob Pollard
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| number = 82
| position = Defensive end
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|12|30|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 250
| high_school = Hebert
(Beaumont, Texas)
| college = Texas Southern (1966)
Weber State (1967–1970)
| draftyear = 1971
| draftround = 11
| draftpick = 262
| pastteams =
- New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1971|1977}})
- St. Louis Cardinals ({{NFL Year|1978|1981}})
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Sacks
| statvalue1 = 57
| statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue2 = 14
| statlabel3 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 1
| pfr = P/PollBo20
}}
Robert Lee Pollard (born December 30, 1948) is an American former professional football defensive end who played for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints—where he played four seasons as a defensive tackle—and the St. Louis Cardinals. He played college football for the Texas Southern Tigers and the Weber State Wildcats and was selected by the Saints in the eleventh round of the 1971 NFL draft.
Early life
Pollard attended the black Hebert High School in Beaumont, Texas.
College career
He began his college football career in 1966 with the Texas Southern Tigers, as he wanted to stay close to his family. After a year and a half, he decided to transfer to the Weber State Wildcats even though he had been a starter at Texas Southern because he felt that the school was trying to take his scholarship away in order to offer it to talented out of state players.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m5uzDwAAQBAJ&dq=bob+pollard+texas+southern+football&pg=PT259|title = Black Man in the Huddle: Stories from the Integration of Texas Football|isbn = 9781623497521|last1 = Jacobus|first1 = Robert D.|date = October 3, 2019| publisher=Texas A&M University Press }}
Professional career
He was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 262nd overall pick of the 1971 NFL draft.
Pollard was named Saints defensive captain from 1976 to 1977 and was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame in 1995.{{Cite web|url=https://www.saintshalloffame.com/inductees/bob-pollard/|title = Bob Pollard | New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame}} In 1977, the Saints traded Pollard and guard Terry Stieve, to the St. Louis Cardinals for Pro Bowler guard Conrad Dobler and wide receiver Ike Harris.{{Cite web|url=https://www.saintshalloffame.com/inductees/bob-pollard/#:~:text=Honors%3A%20Pollard%20was%20inducted%20into,captain%20in%201976%20and%201977|title = Bob Pollard | New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame}} He finished his career with the Cardinals in 1981. Although quarterback sacks were not officially recorded prior to 1982, he has been credited with 57 unofficial sacks during his career.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/blog/2021/07/pre-1982-sacks-added-to-pro-football-reference/|title=Pre-1982 Sacks Added to Pro Football Reference}}
After football
In 1971, Pollard was one of sixteen pro football players from Beaumont to be given the Keys to The City.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school-sports/2017/07/22/flashback-dfw-produces-a-ton-of-football-talent-but-another-part-of-texas-is-the-pro-football-capital-of-the-world/|title = Flashback: DFW produces a ton of football talent, but another part of Texas is 'the pro football capital of the world'|date = July 22, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/courses/13things/7443.html#:~:text=This%20medieval%20tradition%20is%20meant,trusted%20friend%20of%20city%20residents.|title=Key to the City}}
Personal life
His son, Robert, had a brief NFL career as a defensive end with the San Diego Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks.{{cite web|title=Robert Pollard|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PollRo20.htm|publisher=Sports Reference|work=Pro Football Reference|accessdate=2023-05-11}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Saints1971DraftPicks}}
{{New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pollard, Bob}}
Category:Players of American football from Beaumont, Texas
Category:American football defensive ends
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Weber State Wildcats football players