| No. 47 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Defensive back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1935-12-07)December 7, 1935 Pulaski, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Died | August 16, 1990(1990-08-16) (aged 54) Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Giles County (Pulaski) | ||||||||||||
| College | Tennessee (1954–1957) | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1958: 6th round, 63rd overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL/AFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Bobby Lee Gordon (December 7, 1935 – August 16, 1990) was an American professionalfootballdefensive back who played for theHouston Oilers of theAmerican Football League (AFL) and theChicago Cardinals of theNational Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the1958 NFL draft after playingcollege football at theUniversity of Tennessee.
Bobby Lee Gordon was born on December 7, 1935, inPulaski, Tennessee.[1] He attendedGiles County High School in Pulaski.[1]
Gordon was a member of theTennessee Volunteers of theUniversity of Tennessee from 1954 to 1957 and a three-yearletterman from 1955 to 1957.[1] He rushed 47 times for 254 yards andtwo touchdowns in 1955 while also completing five of 18 passes (27.8%) for 120 yards and three touchdowns.[2] He recorded 53 rushing attempts for 202 yards in 1956.[2] In 1957, Gordon totaled 167carrries for 526 yards and seven touchdowns, and 20 completions on 40 passing attempts (50.0%) for 260 yards, two touchdowns, and seven interceptions.[2] His 167 carries were the most in theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) that season.[2] He earnedAssociated Press andUnited Press first-team All-SEC honors in 1957.[3][4] He was named Tennessee's MVP of the1957 Gator Bowl.[5]
Gordon was selected by theChicago Cardinals in the sixth round, with 63rd overall pick, of the1958 NFL draft.[6] He started all 12 games for the Cardinals in 1958, recording 55 punts for 2,089 yards (38.0 average), two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, two rushes for ten yards, and one kick return for 12 yards.[6] The Cardinals finished the season with a 2–9–1 record.[7] He was released in 1959.[8]
Gordon signed with theHouston Oilers of theAmerican Football League (AFL) on September 14, 1960.[8] He appeared in 13 games, starting 11, for the Oilers during the team's inaugural 1960 season, totaling three interceptions and one sack.[6] He also started for the Oilers in theAFL's first-ever championship game, recording one interception for 27 yards and one sack in the 24—16 victory.[9] Gordon was released in 1961.[8]
Gordon was a football coach at severalKnoxville, Tennessee high schools in the 1960s.[10] He later worked as a salesman.[10] He died in a house fire on August 16, 1990, in Knoxville.[6][10]
