Richard Osborne (American football)

{{Short description|American football player (1953–2025)}}

{{other uses|Richard Osborne (disambiguation)}}

{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Richard Osborne

| number = 88, 86, 87

| position = Tight end

| birth_date = {{birth date|1953|10|31}}

| birth_place = Wichita, Kansas, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|02|26|1953|10|31}}

| death_place = Bexar County, Texas, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lbs = 230

| high_school = Robert E. Lee {{avoid wrap|(San Antonio, Texas)}}

| college = Texas A&M

| draftyear = 1976

| draftround = 9

| draftpick = 248

| pastteams =

• Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1976}})
• New York Jets (1976)
• Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1977}}–{{NFL Year|1978}})
• St. Louis Cardinals ({{NFL Year|1979}})

|highlights =

• Second-team All-SWC (1975)

| statlabel1 = Receptions

| statvalue1 = 23

| statlabel2 = Receiving yards

| statvalue2 = 197

| statlabel3 = Receiving TDs

| statvalue3 = 1

| pfr = OsboRi00

}}

Richard Arlen Osborne (October 31, 1953 – February 26, 2025) was an American professional football player who was a tight end for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies. Osborne was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the ninth round of the 1976 NFL draft, but was waived during the 1976 season. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets, and was traded back to Philadelphia the following year in exchange for a future draft pick.{{cite news |title=Osborne Returns To Eagles |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=u40yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9OgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3491,4653116 |newspaper=Gettysburg Times |date=September 1, 1977 |accessdate=April 25, 2010}} He played for the Eagles from 1976 to 1978, the Jets in 1976, and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979.

Osborne played his high school football at Robert E. Lee High School in San Antonio where he earned all-state honors as a wide receiver. He helped lead the Lee Volunteers to a 28-27 1971 UIL 4A State title over Wichita Falls high school. Tommy Kramer who had a long NFL career was his quarterback in high school. Another notable teammate in high school was Pat Rockett who also earned all-state honors and later played Major League Baseball for the Atlanta Braves.

Osborne died on February 26, 2025, at the age of 71.[https://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/article/richard-osborne-lee-high-school-football-20196225.php Richard Osborne, a San Antonio football legend, has died at 71]