Robert Thompson (American football)

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Thompson attended Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Illinois.{{cite news|title=1982 Michigan Football Roster|publisher=University of Michigan|url=http://141.211.39.65/allroster/FMPro?-DB=allrost.fp5&-Format=fbresult.htm&-SortField=name&-SortOrder=Ascend&year=1982&-max=170&-Find|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218132312/http://141.211.39.65/allroster/FMPro?-DB=allrost.fp5&-Format=fbresult.htm&-SortField=name&-SortOrder=Ascend&year=1982&-max=170&-Find|archive-date=2012-02-18}}

Thompson enrolled at the University of Michigan and played football under head coach Bo Schembechler from 1979 to 1982.{{cite web|title=1979 Michigan Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1979fbt.htm|access-date=September 9, 2010}}{{cite web|title=1980 Michigan Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1980fbt.htm|access-date=September 9, 2010}}{{cite web|title=1981 Michigan Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1981fbt.htm|access-date=September 9, 2010}}{{cite web|title=1982 Michigan Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1982fbt.htm|access-date=September 9, 2010}} In the final game of the 1980 season, Thompson helped secure the Big Ten Conference championship with a key fourth-down sack of Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter, as the Buckeyes were driving in Michigan territory with less than a minute left in the game.{{cite news|author=George Strode|title=Tops OSU, 9-3: Michigan Bowl bound|newspaper=Kokomo (Ind.) Tribune|date=November 23, 1980}} The 1980 team held opponents to an average of 1.8 points per game in the final five games of the season and defeated Washington in the 1981 Rose Bowl. In four years playing football for the Michigan Wolverines, Thompson was credited with 214 tackles (including 39 tackles for loss), 188 yards on tackles for loss and 123 yards on quarterback sacks.{{cite web|title=Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page|publisher=University of Michigan|url=http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524051040/http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php|archive-date=2013-05-24}}{{cite web|title=University of Michigan Football Academic All-Americans|publisher=University of Michigan|url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/042709aaa.html|access-date=September 9, 2010}} Thompson was selected by his teammates as a co-captain for both the 1981 and 1982 football teams.{{cite news|title=Michigan names captains|newspaper=The Cedar Rapids Gazette (AP story)|date=September 5, 1981}}("The Michigan Wolverines have named guard Kurt Becker and linebacker Robert Thompson as co-captains of the 1981-82 football squad.") In November 1982, two Michigan linebackers (Thompson and Paul Girgash) were all selected to the first team on the Associated Press 1982 All-Big Ten football team.{{cite news|author=Joe Mooshil|title=9 Wolverines All-Big Ten|newspaper=The Argus-Press, Owosso, Michigan (AP story)|date=November 30, 1982|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iFAiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NK0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1374,2591788&dq=robert-thompson+linebacker&hl=en}} He was also selected as a 1982 first-team Academic All-America team player.

Thompson was selected by the Houston Oilers in the 8th round of the 1983 NFL draft. He signed with the Oilers and participated in the pre-season games with the team, but he was released by Houston in the final roster cutdown to 49 players.{{cite news|author=Doug Lasswell|title=Bucs Put Hawkins On Injured Reserve, Waive Roberts|newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|date=October 13, 1983|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WuYbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jGgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2269,1492126&dq=robert-thompson+linebacker&hl=en}} In October 1983, he signed a contract as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Thompson appeared in 10 games for the Buccaneers in 1983. In 1984, Thompson sustained two broken toes in the pre-season and began the regular season on injured reserve.{{cite news|title=McKay committed to four receivers|newspaper=Lakeland Ledger|date=August 27, 1984|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KpIsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gvsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7026,5383397&dq=robert-thompson+linebacker&hl=en}} He returned to the Buccaneers roster in October 1984,{{cite news|author=Dave Scheiber|title=Bucs reshuffle their ranks as injuries mount|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|date=October 27, 1984|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eQkOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rHwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6628,3343289&dq=robert-thompson+linebacker&hl=en}} and played in 9 games during the 1984 season. In 1985, Thompson was part of the Buccaneers roster during the pre-season, but he was released in late August 1985.{{cite news|author=Jerry Greene|title=BUCS CUT SAFETY BROWN, QB CALABRIA|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|date=August 21, 1985|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/91804636.html?dids=91804636:91804636&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+21,+1985&author=Jerry+Greene+of+The+Sentinel+Staff&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=BUCS+CUT+SAFETY+BROWN,+QB+CALABRIA&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103193055/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/91804636.html?dids=91804636:91804636&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+21,+1985&author=Jerry+Greene+of+The+Sentinel+Staff&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=BUCS+CUT+SAFETY+BROWN,+QB+CALABRIA&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 3, 2012}}

During the 1987 NFL season, Thompson returned to the NFL as a replacement player for the Detroit Lions during the players strike.{{cite news|author=David Steele|title=BUCS' TEAM B VS. LIONS' TEAM B Series: THE NFL STRIKE|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.|date=September 30, 1987|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/50122869.html?dids=50122869:50122869&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+30,+1987&author=DAVID+STEELE&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=BUCS%27+TEAM+B+VS.+LIONS%27+TEAM+B+Series:+THE+NFL+STRIKE&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131194402/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/50122869.html?dids=50122869:50122869&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+30,+1987&author=DAVID+STEELE&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=BUCS'+TEAM+B+VS.+LIONS'+TEAM+B+Series:+THE+NFL+STRIKE&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 31, 2013}} He was one of only seven replacement players on the Lions who had prior NFL experience.{{cite news|title=Lions haven't broken ranks|newspaper=Ludington Daily News (AP story)|date=October 2, 1987|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rbYLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0lUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3038,2466671&dq=robert-thompson+lions&hl=en}} He appeared in all 3 games for the Lions during the players' strike.{{cite web|title=Robert Thompson|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomRo23.htm|access-date=September 9, 2010}} In February 1988, Thompson signed as a free agent with the Lions,{{cite news|title=Lions sign free agents|newspaper=The Argus-Press, Owosso, Michigan (AP story)|date=February 19, 1988|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TV0iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7akFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6409,4181790&dq=robert-thompson+linebacker&hl=en}} but he did not make the Lions regular season roster.{{cite web|title=1988 Detroit Lions|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1988.htm|access-date=September 10, 2010}}

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Category:1960 births

Category:Living people

Category:Detroit Lions players

Category:Michigan Wolverines football players

Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players

Category:NFL replacement players