 Beathard in 2018 | |
| No. 15 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1937-01-24)January 24, 1937 Zanesville, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | January 30, 2023(2023-01-30) (aged 86) Franklin, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | El Segundo (El Segundo, California) |
| College | El Camino (1955) Cal Poly (1956–1958) |
| NFL draft | 1959: undrafted |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
Operations | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| Executive profile atPro Football Reference | |
Robert King Beathard Jr. (/ˈbɛθərd/BETH-ərd;[1] January 24, 1937 – January 30, 2023) was an American professionalfootball executive who was thegeneral manager for theWashington Redskins (1978–1988) and theSan Diego Chargers (1990–2000) of theNational Football League (NFL). His teams won fourSuper Bowls and competed in three others during his 38 years in the NFL, doing so with theKansas City Chiefs (1966),Miami Dolphins (1972 and 1973), Redskins (1982, 1983, and 1987), and the Chargers (1994). Beathard was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Beathard was born inZanesville, Ohio, before moving toEl Segundo, California, at the age of four. He attendedEl Segundo High School but did not begin playing football until his sophomore year, as atailback. In college, he accepted a scholarship to play football forLSU, but returned home after summer practices after feeling homesick. He then enrolled atEl Camino Junior College for a year before enrolling atCal Poly, where he played as a backup running back and later the startingquarterback anddefensive back, leading theMustangs to back-to-back 9–1 seasons.
From 1956 through 1958, Beathard compiled 1,748 passing yards, 198 rushing yards, and intercepted 13 passes in theCal Poly secondary.[2] He went undrafted in 1959 and had preseason stints with two professional teams, but was unable to find a spot, spending his early post-college years playingsemi-pro football and working various non-football jobs.[3]
Beathard joined theKansas City Chiefs as a part-timescout in 1963. He left the Chiefs for theAmerican Football League before returning to Kansas City in 1966.[4] Beathard then served as a scout for theAtlanta Falcons from 1968 through 1971. He was named director of player personnel for the Miami Dolphins in 1972, succeedingJoe Thomas.[5] From 1972 to 1973, the Dolphins would go 26–2 with two Super Bowl victories, including a perfect season in 1972.[6]
Beathard was namedgeneral manager of theWashington Redskins in 1978. Prominent draft picks for the Redskins under his tenure includeArt Monk,Mark May,Russ Grimm,Dexter Manley,Charlie Brown,Darrell Green,Charles Mann, andGary Clark. Beathard resigned from the team prior to the1989 NFL draft and spent that year as a studio analyst withNFL on NBC.[7] In 1990, Beathard became the general manager of theSan Diego Chargers. In 1994, the organization won the AFC Championship and appeared in its first Super Bowl. He retired in 2000.[8]
Beathard resided with his wife Christine inFranklin, Tennessee.[9] Beathard's younger brother,Pete Beathard, was a quarterback atUSC, theKansas City Chiefs and theHouston Oilers. One of Beathard's sons,Casey Beathard, is acountry music songwriter.[10] Another son, Kurt Beathard, is a football coach, formerly the offensive coordinator forIllinois State.[11][12] A third son,Jeff, is a scout for the Commanders, and wasMr. Irrelevant, being the last pick in the1988 NFL draft.[13]
His grandson,Jeffery "Bobo" Beathard, played four years at Appalachian State University as a wide receiver; while other grandsons,C. J. Beathard andTucker Beathard, are a quarterback and a singer-songwriter respectively. Another of Beathard's grandsons, Clayton Beathard, was fatally stabbed in a bar fight in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2019.[14]
Beathard participated in the 1984New York City Marathon.[15] From 2005 to 2009, Beathard was a consecutive 5 time first-place winner in the men's age 65 and over group at the World Bodysurfing Championships held annually in Oceanside, California.[16] Beathard was inducted into theCal Poly Mustangs Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988.[17] He was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame andChargers Hall of Fame in 2018.[18][19] Beathard died on January 30, 2023, fromAlzheimer's disease at his home inFranklin, Tennessee.[20]
