| No. 87, 89, 82 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Tight end |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | (1954-09-14)September 14, 1954 (age 70) Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight: | 221 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Edison (Miami) |
| College: | Florida |
| NFL draft: | 1976: 6th round, 157th pick |
| Career history | |
| Stats atPro Football Reference | |
Alvis Russell Darby (born September 14, 1954) is an American former professionalfootball player who was atight end for two seasons in theNational Football League (NFL). Darby playedcollege football for theFlorida Gators, and was chosen by theSeattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the1976 NFL draft. He also played in the NFL for theHouston Oilers andTampa Bay Buccaneers.
Darby was born inMiami, Florida.[1] He attendedMiami Edison High School,[2] and played high school football for the Miami Edison Red Raiders.[3] In the 1970 Florida Class AA state championship game, he had a 62-yard touchdown reception, contributing to the Edison Red Raiders' 42–22 victory over Fort Pierce Central.[3]
Darby accepted an athletic scholarship to attend theUniversity of Florida inGainesville, Florida, where he played for coachDoug Dickey'sGators teams from1973 to1975.[4] He played in 35 games for the Gators, starting as a tight end as a sophomore and senior, but filling the wide receiver's slot as a junior.[5] On a Gators team that emphasized Doug Dickey's running game and option over the passing the game, Darby compiled 314 yards and four touchdowns on 22 receptions, with an average of 14.3 yards per catch.[5] During his three seasons as a Gator, the team appeared in three consecutive post-seasonbowl games for the first time in its history.[4] Memorably, he had a 32-yard reception in the 1974Sugar Bowl.[4]
The NFL expansionSeattle Seahawks franchise chose Darby in the sixth round, with the 157th overall pick, of the1976 NFL draft.[6] During his 1976 rookie season, he appeared in one game for the Seahawks and two more for theHouston Oilers.[1] He did not play during the 1977 NFL season, but appeared in six games for theTampa Bay Buccaneers in 1978.[2]
