College San Diego State Positions Tight end Role American football player | Name Rob Awalt 1990-1991 Dallas Cowboys | |
Date of birth (1964-04-09) April 9, 1964 (age 51) Place of birth Landstuhl, West Germany NFL draft 1987 / Round: 3 / Pick: 62 1987-1989 St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals Education San Diego State University | ||
Rob Awalt: Football Tight End
Robert Mitchell Awalt (born April 9, 1964) is former professional American football tight end in the National Football League for the Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at San Diego State University.
Contents
- Rob Awalt Football Tight End
- Early years
- St Louis Phoenix Cardinals
- Dallas Cowboys
- Denver Broncos
- Buffalo Bills
- References
Early years
Born in Landstuhl, Germany, Awalt attended Valley High School, where a coach failed him in physical education, preventing him from playing football one season. He moved on to Sacramento City College, before transferring to San Diego State University after his sophomore year.
As a junior, he had 15 receptions for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns. In his last year he registered 45 receptions (tenth in the conference) for 541 yards and 2 touchdowns.
St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals
Awalt was selected in the third round (62nd overall) of the 1987 NFL draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Although he entered his rookie season as a backup, starter Jay Novacek suffered a fractured right elbow which allowed him to be promoted. He would end up having a season to remember, beginning with registering 9 receptions in each of the first two games after replacing Novacek and tying a franchise single-game record held by Jackie Smith. He finished with 42 receptions which was good for second in the league for tight ends and fell one short of the franchise record for receptions in a season for a rookie (Gern Nagler). He also had 9 starts, 526 receiving yards (second on the team) and 6 receiving touchdowns receptions (tying the franchise record for rookies). He was voted rookie of the year by UPI and the Sporting News.
In 1988, he passed Novacek on the depth chart and became the starter at tight end (15 starts). Although he tore two ligaments in his left ankle during October, he didn't miss any games. He finished third on the team with 39 receptions for 454 and 4 receiving touchdowns.
In 1989, with Gary Hogeboom instead of Neil Lomax as the team's starting quarterback, his production fell to 33 receptions for 360 yards and no touchdowns.
In 1990, Joe Bugel was hired as the new head coach and after Awalt missed three preseason games with a hyperextended right knee, he was surprisingly traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for an eighth round pick (#209-Scott Evans).
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys acquired Awalt looking for him to recover his previous form and compete with Novacek (who was acquired in Plan B free agency) for the starting tight end job. In 1990, he would end up having only 13 receptions in the season after missing three games because of his knee injury and falling behind Novacek. The next year his production fell to 5 receptions for 57 yards, but he was still being used in two-tight end sets.
Denver Broncos
On April 1, 1992, he signed in Plan B free agency with the Denver Broncos. He was waived on August 31, after falling behind in training camp to Clarence Kay, Reggie Johnson and Shannon Sharpe.
Buffalo Bills
On September 8, 1992, he was signed as a free agent by the Buffalo Bills to replace an injured Keith McKeller. He was mainly used on special teams and faced the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII. On December 30, 1993, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a rotator cuff injury.