Roman Gabriel III, the son of the late NFL quarterback Roman Gabriel, announced on social media that his father passed away peacefully at the age of 83. He requested prayers and privacy during this difficult time. Gabriel played college football at North Carolina State before being drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in the AFL and the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft in 1962.
During his career, Gabriel was a three-time Pro Bowler and earned All-Pro and league MVP honors in 1969. In that season, he passed for over 2,500 yards, with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Despite his success, Gabriel never won a playoff game, going 0-2 in the postseason.
After 11 seasons with the Rams, Gabriel finished his career with five seasons with the Eagles, earning Pro Bowl honors in 1973. He retired with 29,444 passing yards, 201 touchdowns, and 149 interceptions, leaving a lasting legacy as the Rams’ all-time career leader in touchdown passes.
Following his retirement from football in 1977, Gabriel pursued various ventures in acting, coaching, and broadcasting. He will be remembered not only for his achievements on the field but also for his contributions to the sport and the community.
Roman Gabriel was a legendary player who left an indelible mark on NFL history. His son announced that he passed away peacefully at age 83.
Gabriel played college football at North Carolina State before being drafted as one of two players ever to be picked first overall by both leagues – AFL and NFL.
During his career which spanned over two decades (from 1963-77), Gabriel was a three-time Pro Bowler and earned All-Pro honors twice as well as league MVP accolades once.
His most notable season was in ’69 when he threw for more than 2500 yards with an impressive number of TDs while also having fewer interceptions than usual.
Despite this success though he did not win any playoffs going zero – two during postseason games.
After leaving Rams after eleven years together (from ’63 to ’74), he spent another five years playing for Eagles before retiring from professional football altogether.
