| No. 12, 33, 10 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positions | Quarterback Defensive back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1933-03-26)March 26, 1933 Dallas, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Died | February 18, 2021(2021-02-18) (aged 87) | ||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 197 lb (89 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Dallas (TX) Highland Park | ||||||||||||
| College | Southern Methodist | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1956:3rd round, 31st overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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John Gipson Roach (March 26, 1933 – February 18, 2021) was an American professionalfootball player who was aquarterback anddefensive back in theNational Football League (NFL) for theChicago/St. Louis Cardinals,Green Bay Packers, andDallas Cowboys. He playedcollege football for theSMU Mustangs.[1]
Born and raised inDallas,Texas, Roach graduated fromHighland Park High School inUniversity Park, which had earlier producedhall of famersBobby Layne andDoak Walker.
Roach accepted a footballscholarship fromSouthern Methodist University. He played as aquarterback,defensive back andpunter for theMustangs, becoming a starter at quarterback as a senior.
Roach was selected by theChicago Cardinals in thethird round (31st overall) in the1956 NFL draft. As a rookie, he was used atpunter. After the season, he spent two years in theU.S. Air Force.
In 1959, he returned to the team and played as adefensive back, before being named the starting quarterback late in the year.[2]
In 1960, he became the starting quarterback, after the team lost to injury two quarterbacks during their first season inSt. Louis. On July 5, 1961, in a surprising move, he was sent to theCleveland Browns in exchange for HalfbackPrentice Gautt and rookie EndTaz Anderson.
On August 8, 1961, he was traded to theGreen Bay Packers in exchange for a third round draft choice (#42-John Furman).[3]
Roach was the backup quarterback on the Packers'1961 and1962NFL championship teams, backing upBart Starr under head coachVince Lombardi. In 1963, when Starr injured his passing hand in the sixth game against theSt. Louis Cardinals, he was held out for4+1⁄2 games and Roach was named the starter during those contests.[2][4][5] The team was 4–1 with Starr sidelined and finished 11–2–1, but the 26–7 loss to theChicago Bears in mid-November was critical;[6][7][8] keeping them a half game back in the Western Conference final standings and denied the Packers a chance to win an unprecedentedthird consecutive NFL championship game.
He announced his retirement on May 20, 1964. On August 31, he was traded to theDallas Cowboys in exchange for a third draft choice (#33-Bob Timberlake).
In 1964, Roach retired to work for an investment firm in Dallas, until theDallas Cowboys convinced him to play in his home state. He was acquired after starting quarterbackDon Meredith went down with a knee injury in the preseason game against theGreen Bay Packers.[9][10] He started in 4 games, passing for 349 yards, onetouchdown and 6 interceptions.[11]
John Roach died on February 18, 2021.[1] At the time of his death, he was the only person to have played football for the Highland Park Scots, SMU Mustangs, and Dallas Cowboys.