Steve Rivera
{{Short description|American football player (born 1954)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL player
|number=80, 83
|position=Wide receiver
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1954|8|5}}
|birth_place=Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
|height_ft=5
|weight_lb=184
|height_in=11
|high_school=Phineas Banning {{nowrap|(Los Angeles, California)}}
|college=California
|draftyear=1976
|draftround=4
|draftpick=8
|teams=
- San Francisco 49ers (1976)
- Chicago Bears (1977)
- San Francisco 49ers (1977)
|highlights =
|statlabel1=Receptions
|statvalue1=2
|statlabel2=Receiving yards
|statvalue2=14
|statlabel3=Return yards
|statvalue3=10
|pfr=RiveSt00
}}
Steve Rivera (born August 5, 1954) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears before playing in the NFL for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers.
Early life
Rivera attended Banning High School in Wilmington, California. He was a two-year letterman in football where he was starting Receiver. Rivera led the team in receptions and receiving yardage his senior year. Rivera also was named to the All Marine League and Los Angeles City 1st Team as a receiver. Rivera was receiving his passes from Quarterback Vince Ferragamo who also went on to play in the NFL. The Ferragamo to Rivera air bomb was one of the most feared high school tandems in the United States their senior year.
College career
Rivera inked a letter of intent with the University of California Golden Bears, where he was named 1975 Consensus All-America Team.{{cite news|title=Tough Schedule Faces Talented Cal Bears|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=npVfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FjEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5284,8323860&dq=steve-rivera+bears&hl=en|accessdate=October 11, 2011|newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|date=August 31, 1976}} Rivera was a receiver and punt-return specialist. Rivera had 138 career receptions and 2085 receiving yard for 9 total touchdowns.
Professional career
Rivera was selected in the fourth round with the 100th pick of the 1976 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He also a briefly with the Chicago Bears for three games and then traded back to the San Francisco 49ers in 1977.{{cite web|title=Players - Steve Rivera|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/steverivera/2524223/profile|work=NFL.com|publisher=NFL|accessdate=October 11, 2011}} He spent the 1978 season on injured reserve before being released in 1979. Steve works in construction. http://cheslerconstructioninc.com/about/ {{cite news|title=Bears Ask Waivers|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AvpBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WaoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1583,3068977&dq=steve-rivera+chicago+bears&hl=en|accessdate=October 11, 2011|newspaper=The Telegraph-Herald|date=July 22, 1979}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{1975 NCAA Division I FBS College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{49ers1976DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivera, Steve}}
Category:All-American college football players
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:California Golden Bears football players
Category:Chicago Bears players
Category:San Francisco 49ers players
Category:Players of American football from Pensacola, Florida