Reggie Roby was an American football player who played as a punter in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He was born on April 30, 1961, in Waterloo, Iowa, and attended the University of Iowa, where he played college football.
Roby was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He quickly established himself as one of the best punters in the league, earning Pro Bowl honors in his rookie season. He went on to earn six Pro Bowl selections in his career, which is tied for the most by a punter in NFL history.
Roby played for the Dolphins for 10 seasons, from 1983 to 1992. During his time with the team, he set several franchise records, including the longest punt in team history (74 yards) and the most punts inside the 20-yard line (209). He also helped the Dolphins reach the playoffs six times, including two trips to the AFC Championship Game.
In 1993, Roby signed with the Washington Redskins, where he played for two seasons. He then played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1995 before returning to the Dolphins for the 1996 season. He finished his career with the San Francisco 49ers, playing for them in 1997 and 1998.
Roby was known for his powerful leg and his ability to pin opponents deep in their own territory. He led the NFL in punting average three times and finished his career with a 43.3-yard average, which ranks 16th in NFL history. He also had a career-long punt of 77 yards.
Off the field, Roby was known for his charitable work. He established the Reggie Roby Foundation, which provided scholarships to underprivileged children in his hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. He also worked with the United Way and other organizations to help improve the lives of children in need.
Sadly, Roby passed away on February 22, 2005, at the age of 43. He was found in his car, which had crashed into a pond near his home in Iowa. The cause of death was determined to be drowning, and it was later revealed that Roby had a blood alcohol level of 0.294 at the time of the accident.
Despite his tragic death, Roby's legacy as one of the greatest punters in NFL history lives on. He was inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and is remembered as a talented athlete and a generous philanthropist.
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