| No. 13, 17 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | (1942-03-06)March 6, 1942 (age 83) Dallas, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | Sunset (Dallas, Texas) | ||||||||||
| College | Tulsa (1963–1964) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1964: 13th round, 172nd overall pick | ||||||||||
| AFL draft | 1964: 25th round, 195 (By theNew York Jets)th overall pick | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference | |||||||||||
Jerry Byron Rhome (born March 6, 1942) is an American former professionalfootball player who was aquarterback in theNational Football League (NFL) for theDallas Cowboys,Cleveland Browns,Houston Oilers andLos Angeles Rams. He closed out his professional career with theMontreal Alouettes of theCanadian Football League (CFL). He playedcollege football at theUniversity of Tulsa.
Rhome attendedSunset High School in Texas, where he played football for his father,Byron Rhome. He also practicedbasketball andbaseball.
Rhome accepted a football scholarship fromSouthern Methodist University (SMU). He became a starter atquarterback as a sophomore, registering 74 completions (led the conference) out of 129 attempts (second in the conference) for 693 yards (second in the conference), onetouchdown and 6 interceptions. In 1961, he transferred to theUniversity of Tulsa after a 2–7–1 football season, which led to the firing of head coachBill Meek.[1]
In 1963 after sitting out a year, Rhome starred at Tulsa, passing for 1,909 yards, 10 touchdowns, and suffering 13 interceptions. He improved as a senior, with 2,870 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions, while leading the nation in total offense (3,128 yards). He finished second in the voting for theHeisman Trophy—toJohn Huarte of Notre Dame—in one of the closest elections ever recorded.[2]
Rhome held a number ofNCAA records, including the largest number oftouchdowns in a game, in a season, and the most consecutive passes without aninterception in a football season and in his career. Rhome also won theSammy Baugh Trophy in 1964, and had his Number 17 jersey retired by the school.
In 1984, he was inducted into the University of Tulsa Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1988, he was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame. He also was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas High School Hall of Fame, the Inaugural Class of the Dallas Independent School District Athletic Hall of Fame and the Sunset High School Hall of Fame.
Knowing that he had one more year of eligibility, theDallas Cowboys selected him in the thirteenth round (172nd overall) of the1964 NFL draft with a future draft pick, as would theNew York Jets in the 25th round (195th overall) of the1964 AFL draft.[3]
Rhome began his professional career in1965 as the third quarterback behindDon Meredith andCraig Morton; he got a chance to start one game that same year against theCleveland Browns (17–23 loss).[4]
He would serve in a backup role until the start of the1969 season whenRoger Staubach joined the team, and at his request the Cowboys traded Rhome to theCleveland Browns in exchange for a third round draft choice, later used to selectCharlie Waters in the1970 NFL draft.[5]
In1969, although Rhome was a backup toBill Nelsen, the information he provided about the Cowboys offense helped the Browns beat them in a 38-14 Conference Championship playoff win.[6]
On January 27,1970, he was traded to theHouston Oilers in exchange for a third round draft choice, that they gave back to theDallas Cowboys in payment for their original trade.[7]
Rhome would only play as a backup for theHouston Oilers for a year. On August 17,1971, he was waived after the team decided to keep rookiesDan Pastorini andLynn Dickey, to back up starterCharley Johnson.[8]
On August 19,1971, he was claimed off the waiver wire by theLos Angeles Rams, where he was a backup for one year.[9] On August 24,1972, he was released after the Rams acquired quarterbackPete Beathard.[10]
In October1972, he signed with theMontreal Alouettes of theCanadian Football League.[11] On December 18, he announced his retirement.[12]
After he finished his pro playing career, Rhome became an assistant coach at the University of Tulsa. Next, his first of many NFL coaching jobs was with theSeattle Seahawks. Then while with theWashington Redskins, he earned aSuper Bowl championship ring. Rhome is also credited with the signing of future hall of famewide receiverSteve Largent with theSeattle Seahawks.[13]