 | |||||
| No. 61 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Guard | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born | (1939-01-08)January 8, 1939 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | ||||
| Died | May 30, 2022(2022-05-30) (aged 83) Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S. | ||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||
| Listed weight | 255 lb (116 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| College | Kentucky | ||||
| AFL draft | 1960 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||
| |||||
| Career statistics | |||||
| |||||
Robert Guy Talamini (January 8, 1939 – May 30, 2022) was an American professionalfootball player who was aguard in theAmerican Football League (AFL). He playedcollege football for theKentucky Wildcats, earning third-teamAll-SEC honors. He was selected by theHouston Oilers of theAmerican Football League (AFL).[1] His professional career began with the AFL's first training camp in 1960, and was capped the day theNew York Jets stunned the NFL'sBaltimore Colts inSuper Bowl III on January 12, 1969. He was named first- or second-team All-AFL during the majority of his playing years.
Talamini was born on January 8, 1939, inLouisville, Kentucky. He attendedSt. Xavier High School in Louisville, where he was a standout on the football team playing guard, tackle and fullback. He weighed 160 to 170 pounds (72.6–77.1 kg) during his senior year in 1955.[2][3] He was selected to replace a teammate in an East-West high school all-star game held inLexington, Kentucky in August 1956. Up to that point he had not received any college football scholarship offers. After being impressed by Talamini's play in the all-star game,University of Kentucky Wildcats head coachBlanton Collier offered Talamini a scholarship.[3]
By his junior year, Talamini was a starting guard at Kentucky, and played more minutes than any other Wildcat football player during the 1958 season; even though he weighed only 192 pounds (87.1 kg) going into the season. By the time of his senior year (1959), Talamini weighed 215 pounds (97.5 kg).[3][4][5] After his senior year, theAssociated Press (AP) selected Talamini as third-team All-Southeastern Conference at guard.[6]
.jpg)
TheHouston Oilers of the newly formedAmerican Football League (AFL) selected Talamini in the second round of the1960 AFL draft. He played his entire eight-year career in the AFL, before the merger of the AFL with the National Football League (NFL).[7][8][9][10][11]
Talamini played for the Houston Oilers from 1960 to 1967.[11] The Oilers won the AFL championship in both1960 and1961,[12][13] and lost the 1962 championship in double-overtime to theDallas Texans, 20–17 (the second longest game in AFL/NFL history).[14][15] Talamini started eight games at left guard in 1960 and all 14 games at left guard in 1961.[16][17] He started every Oilers' game at left guard from 1962 through 1967, and was selected to the AFL All-Star game each of those years.[11] TheAssociated Press (AP) named Talamini first-team All-AFL in 1963, 1965 and 1967, and second-team All-AFL in 1964.United Press International (UPI) named him first-team All-AFL three times and second-team All-AFL three times, andThe Sporting News named him first-team All-AFL from 1962 to 1967.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]
The Oilers championship teams includedProfessional Football Hall of FamequarterbackGeorge Blanda, who played behind Talamini from 1960 through 1966.[29][30] Like Talamini, Blanda attended the University of Kentucky.[31] His Oiler teammates also includedHeisman Trophy winner andCollege Football Hall of Fame inducteeBilly Cannon,[32] who played in thebackfield behind Talamini from 1960 through 1963.[33] Talamini played alongside three-time AFL All-Star centerBob Schmidt (1961–63),[34] three time second-team All-AFL left tackleWalter Suggs (1963–67),[35] and two time AFL All-Star right tackleRich Michael (1960–63, 1965–66),[36] anchoring an offensive line that gave Blanda time to set passing records that would last for decades[31] and opened holes for running backs like Cannon,Charlie Tolar,[37]Sid Blanks[38] andHoyle Granger[39] to run through.
After participating in the AFL's first three championship games, the Oilers rapidly declined. The Oilers record fell to 6–8 in 1963.[40] In 1964, coachPop Ivy was replaced by Hall of Fame quarterbackSammy Baugh,[41] but the team's record fell again to 4–10.[42]Hugh Taylor replaced Baugh in 1965, but the team was once more 4–10.[43]Wally Lemm replaced Taylor, with a 3–11 record in 1966.[44] In 1967, the team moved on from the 40-year old Blanda, and went 9–4–1 under Lemm.[29][45] Talamini reached theAFL championship game one final time with the Oilers in 1967, losing to the Oakland Raiders, 40–7.[46]
Talamini held out before the 1968 season, and did not report to the Oilers training camp. The Oilers traded him to theNew York Jets in August 1968, for a third round draft choice.[47][2] Talamini played in 14 games for the Jets that season, but was called upon to start eight of the team's final nine games at left guard, after starting left guardRandy Rasmussen was injured.[48]
With the Jets, Talamini blocked for future Hall of Fame quarterbackJoe Namath and running backsMatt Snell andEmerson Boozer. The team won the1968 AFL championship, and then went on to defeat theBaltimore Colts inSuper Bowl III. Rasmussen made it back for the Super Bowl, but Talamini remained at starting left guard because of an injury to linemanSam Walton. In the Super Bowl, the Jets gained 142 total rushing yards, with 121 by Snell, rushing chiefly to the left side behind the blocking of Talamini and left tackleWinston Hill against the right side of the Colts' defensive line (Ordell Braase andFred Miller). The effectiveness of this rushing strategy was the key to the Jets winning the game.[49][50][51][52][2][48][53] Namath said years later, "Without Talamini, we don't win [the Super Bowl] . . . Maybe we don't even get there. But we don't win without Bob Talamini."[2]
Talamini was selected to theAll-Time All-AFL second-team, and was named to the AFL's 1960s All-Decade Team (second-team) by the Hall of Fame.[48][54] During his career, Talamini played in 126 games, and started in 110 consecutive games.[8]
In 2011, he was inducted in the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame.[8][4]
Talamini,Don Floyd andJim Norton were the last of the original Oilers.[55]
After retiring from football, Talamini worked in the financial consulting business with thousands of clients. He was president of theNFL Alumni Association. He was also president of the Houston Touchdown Club.[2][56] Talamini lived with his wife inLas Cruces, New Mexico until his death.[56]
Talamini died on May 30, 2022, at the age of 83, inNew Mexico. He was survived by his wife Mary Will, seven children, 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.[57][2][56]