Rod Shoate

{{Short description|American football player (1953–1999)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{More citations needed|date=December 2023}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Rod Shoate

| number = 56

| position = Linebacker

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1953|4|25|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Spiro, Oklahoma, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1999|10|4|1953|4|25}}

| death_place = Spiro, Oklahoma, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lbs = 214

| high_school = Spiro (OK)

| college = Oklahoma

| draftyear = 1975

| draftround = 2

| draftpick = 41

| pastteams =

• New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|1975|1981}})
• New Jersey Generals ({{USFL Year|1983}})
• Memphis Showboats ({{USFL Year|1984}})

| highlights =

• National champion (1974)
• Unanimous All-American (1974)
• Consensus All-American (1973)
• Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year (1974)
• 3× First-team All-Big Eight (1972, 1973, 1974)

| statlabel1 = Sacks

| statvalue1 = 22.5

| statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue2 = 7

| statlabel3 = Interceptions

| statvalue3 = 5

| pfr = ShoaRo21

| CollegeHOF = 2350

}}

Roderick Shoate (April 26, 1953 – October 4, 1999) was an American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was a four-time All-Big 8 Conference Player and a three-time All-American at the University of Oklahoma. He played seven seasons in the NFL for the New England Patriots, and then in the United States Football League (USFL) for the New Jersey Generals and Memphis Showboats.

Shoate, who died in 1999 after a long illness, was elected posthumously to the College Football Hall of Fame.{{cite web| url = http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/OUs_Rod_Shoate_goes_into_Hall_of_Fame_on_a_day_Bosworth/20130507_231_ousro_45989| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130523210529/http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/OUs_Rod_Shoate_goes_into_Hall_of_Fame_on_a_day_Bosworth/20130507_231_ousro_45989| archive-date = 2013-05-23| title = OU's Rod Shoate goes into Hall of Fame on a day Bosworth does not {{!}} Tulsa World}} in 2013.

Former coaches and teammates attribute Shoate's speed, attention to detail, and relentless pursuit of the other team to his success as a player.{{Cite web |url=http://newsok.com/oklahoma-football-rod-shoates-college-football-hall-of-fame-election-a-blessing-for-his-family/article/3807403 |title=The Oklahoman |access-date=2013-05-08 |archive-date=2013-06-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608140756/http://newsok.com/oklahoma-football-rod-shoates-college-football-hall-of-fame-election-a-blessing-for-his-family/article/3807403? |url-status=dead }}