Roger Thomas Staubach is an American former quarterback who played 11 NFL seasons for the Dallas Cowboys. Staubach retired with an 83.4 passer rating in March 1980, the highest career passer rating in NFL history.
Roger is regarded as the best football player of his generation and one of the most fantastic players in the sport’s history.
From an early age, it was clear that Roger was strongly connected with football. So with support from family, friends, and colleagues, he started a small step in football.
This turned out to be a turning point in his life; now, he is an all-time best former quarterback of his time.
Roger will be honored with a 2023 History-Making Annual Award in 2023.
Additionally, an athletic complex has been decided to open in fall 2023 and will name Staubach Stadium in his honor by Purcell Marian High School.
Here we’ll discuss more Roger Thomas Staubach. Keep Reading!
Before that, let’s look at quick facts.
Roger Staubach | Quick Facts
| Full Name | Roger Thomas Staubach |
| Birth Date | February 5, 1942 |
| Birth Place | Cincinnati, Ohio, United States |
| Nick Name | Roger the Dodger, Captain Comeback, Captain America |
| Religion | Catholicism |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education |
|
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Father Name | Robert Staubach |
| Mother Name | Elizabeth (Smyth) Staubach |
| Siblings | No |
| Age | 82 Years Old |
| Height | 6′ 3″/1.91 m/191 cm |
| Weight | 197 lbs/89 kgs |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Jersey Number | 12 |
| Profession | Football Player, Business |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Foundation | Roger Staubach Foundation |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Marianne Staubach |
| Children | 5 (Children)
|
| Net Worth | $600 Million |
| Merch | Book, Signed Helmet |
| Last Update | April 2024 |
Who Is Roger Staubach? Early Life & Education
Roger Staubach was born on February 5, 1942, in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. He is the only child of his parents, Robert Staubach and Elizabeth (Smyth) Staubach.
Talking about Roger’s education, he started his schooling at St. John the Evangelist Catholic School.
He graduated from Purcell Marian High School. Soon after, Roger joined the New Mexico Military Institute and the U.S. Naval Academy.
He graduated from Naval Academy in 1965. We couldn’t find much information about his childhood.
Roger’s interest in football developed from a very early age.
How Old Is Roger Staubach? Nickname, Age & Physical Appearance
Roger Staubach is known by his nicknames Roger the Dodger, Captain America, and Captain Comeback.
As of now, Captain America is 82 years old. Weighing 197 lbs, he possesses a height of about 1.91 m.
Roger has blonde hair color. Sadly, his body measurement is unknown.
According to his horoscopes chart, Roger is Aquarius. People of this sign tend to be more independent, intelligent, unique, and idealist.
Staubach is a Catholic American of white ethnic background.
Roger Staubach | Career
College Career
Roger the Dodger started playing football in the early phase of his college life. After joining U.S. Naval Academy in 1961, he played as a quarterback with Midshipmen.
After that, he got his first chance to play in the third game of the season against the University of Minnesota on October 6, 1962.
Half a month later, Staubach was allowed to begin in the popular Army-Navy game, where President John F. Kennedy did the coin toss. Staubach led his team to a 34-14 upset against Army.
During his second year in the college season of 1963, he led the Midshipmen to the final position of No. 2 in the nation.
Luckily 1963 turned out to be the best season for Roger, as he was honored with Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp Memorial Trophy, and Maxwell Award.
During his three seasons at the Navy, Staubach finished 292 of 463 passes, 18 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. Likewise, he set a school record with 4,253 yards of total offense.
As a senior in 1964, he injured his left heel in the initial game on a win over Penn State, missed four games, and completed the season at 3–6–1.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981 and was named No. 9 by ESPN on their “Top 25 Players in College Football History” list in 2007.
U.S. Navy Service
During his junior year at the Naval Academy, Roger was diagnosed with color blindness. Therefore, he was commissioned into the Supply Corps, where his color blindness was not an obstacle to his work.
In June 1965, after graduating from the Naval academy, he volunteered for one year in South Vietnam. Until September 1967, he served as a Supply Corps official at the Chu Lai base/port and supervised 41 recruited men.
He completed the rest of his naval career in the U.S., where he played football on different service teams to prepare for his future NFL career.
“In any team sport, The Best Teams have Consistency and chemistry.”― Roger Staubach
Later, in 1969, Roger resigned from his commission to join the Cowboys training camp.
The Naval Academy retired his jersey #12 during his graduation ceremony after his senior season.
Professional Career
The Dallas Cowboys chose Staubach in the 1964 NFL Draft as a 10th-round “future” selection. The NFL permitted Staubach to draft one year before his college was over.
He didn’t play professional football until 1969. It was after he had finished his four-year military responsibility when he appeared as a 27-year-old rookie.
Roger was drafted in the sixteenth round (122nd choice overall) of the 1964 American Football League Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Utilizing the greater part of his yearly military leave while still in the Navy in 1968, he went to the Cowboys rookie camp in 1969 after resigning from his naval commission.
The Cowboys made it to the winning point in the first NFC title in 1970, with Craig Morton starting at quarterback.
However, they lost Super Bowl V against Baltimore Colts by losing three points on a last-second field goal.
After a couple of games substituting with Craig Morton as a quarterback, Staubach took the full-time position during week eight of the 1971 season.
He led the Cowboys to ten successive victories, with the team’s first Super Bowl win against the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI on January 16, 1972.
Following this effective season, Staubach negotiated his agreement, earning a three-year deal at around $75,000 per year. But he missed most games of the 1972 season due to his shoulder injury.
Yet he returned in a divisional playoff in a 30-28 victory against the San Francisco 49ers, where he scored two touchdowns.
Super Bowl
In the 1977 Super Bowl season, Staubach led the Cowboys to a second Super Bowl victory with 183 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions in Dallas’ 27–10 victory over the Denver Broncos.
In Super Bowl X and Super Bowl XIII, the Cowboys lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers both times by eight points.
After 11 NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, he ended his career with 1,685 pass completions for 22,700 yards, 153 touchdowns, and 109 interceptions; Staubach declared his retirement in 1979 and left football in March 1980 officially.
The purpose of his retirement was to safeguard his long-term health. Also, the doctor warned him to rest after suffering twenty concussions during his football career.
Business Career
In 1977, Staubach began his own real estate business, ‘The Staubach Company,’ with his partner, Robert Holloway Jr.
Preceding that, he used to work in the real estate business for the Henry S. Miller Company during off seasons from 1970 until 1977.
The Staubach Company has worked with influential organizations like McDonald’s, AT&T, K-Mart Corporation, and The Hospital Corporation of America.
It also has ownership stakes in projects with 27 different apartment complexes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Since resigning from football, he gave in his time on The Staubach Company.
He worked as Executive and CEO until declaring he would step down on June 20, 2007. Later, The Staubach Company was offered to Jones Lang LaSalle for $613 million on July 11, 2008.
Politics
Staubach is a moderate Republican who has frequently been referenced as a potential contender for political office and had once been approached to lobby for U.S. Representative.
He got a solitary decision in favor of a Vice Presidential assignment at the 1976 Republican National Convention.
In 2013, Staubach’s daughter, Jennifer Staubach Gates, won a Dallas City Council board seat, representing Dallas, Texas, 13 District.
Gates started the office in 2013 and left on June 14, 2021.
Roger Staubach’s Personal Life | Wife & kids
As mentioned already, Roger is happily married to Marianne Staubach. They had been in a love relationship since high school.
After dating for many years, the couple married on September 4, 1965.
Roger and Marianne share 5 children: four daughters (Michelle Elizabeth, Stephanie Marie, Amy Lynn & Jennifer Anne) and one son, Jeffrey Roger.
Roger Staubach’s Books
Along with his football career, Roger has also impressed everyone with his writing skills. He has published a few books.
All these books are different from each other and give something new to every reader. To name a few of them:
- Time Enough to Win
- Winning Strategies in Selling
- The President’s Team: 1963
- Staubach: First Down, Lifetime To
- Dallas Cowboys: The Complete Illustrated
- Reaching for the Stars
How Is Roger Staubach So Rich? Net Worth & Salary
You must be wondering what’s a famous football player’s net worth and salary is. Roger’s primary income source is from his different business ventures, although he earned a bulk from football too.
Going back to his early days, he wasn’t in a multi-million dollar league. During his first year as a Cowboy, his salary was nearly $25,000.
After a few years, when he was midway through his career, his salary increased to $95,000.
This was a huge improvement and satisfaction. Roger didn’t step back and did his best with every game and practice.
Surprisingly he was paid the highest salary of $160,000 in the final year of his football career.
With an ongoing investment, Staubach has an estimated net worth of $600 million as of 2024.
Besides his football career, Roger had started his commercial real estate business. So, we can also consider it as one of his income sources.
Roger Staubach’s | Charity & Documentary
Playing one of the most followed sports on the planet has massive advantages. A larger part of footballers loves the high fame and spotlight in the media.
At the same time, some utilize their cash and influence to help other people. Roger Staubach is also one such football player.
The “Roger Staubach Foundation,” started by the player, is known to provide donations to the Children’s Cancer Fund and Genesis Women’s Shelter.
Staubach has a documentary curated on his life, “A Football Life.”
Roger Staubach | Hail Mary
Roger Staubach popularized the football phrase “Hail Mary” in 1975. The term became widespread after a playoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings.
During that playoff, Roger tossed the winning 50-yard touchdown and said to reporters, “I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary.” which means that Staubach was calling on divine intervention to complete the winning pass.
The term “Hail Mary” has come to mean that any long touchdown pass attempt has a very low probability of completion.
Likewise, the “Hail Mary” term can also be applied to everyday life, meaning any last-minute attempt to pull off some back-breaking event.
Roger Staubach | Awards & Achievements
- He led NCAA with a pass completion rate of 67.3 percent – 1962
- U.S. Naval Academy’s Thompson Trophy Cup – 1962-1964
- Heisman Trophy – 1963
- Maxwell Award, Chic Harley Award, UPI Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year – 1963
- 4xLead NFL passer – 1971-1973-1978-1979
- Bert Bell Award – 1971
- Selected to play in Pro Bowl -1971, 1975-79
- Super Bowl VI Victory – 1972
- Super Bowl XII Victory – 1978
- NFL Man of the Year – 1978
- Elected to National Football Hall of Fame – 1981
- Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame – 1985
- Presidential Medal of Freedom – 2018
2022- 2023 Update
2023 History-Making Texan Award
Dallas Cowboys legend Roger Staubach will be honored with a 2023 history-making annual award presented by the Texas State History Museum Foundation (TSHMF).
This is to celebrate the contributions of two very different Texans for their leadership skills to coordinate huge wins: legendary Cowboys former quarterback Roger Staubach and retired Navy Admiral William H. McRaven.
They will be honored with the History-Making Texan Award at the 19th Annual Texas Independence Day Dinner on March 2, 2023, at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin.
Surpassed By Prescott
Prescott passed franchise legends Roger Staubach and Danny White in career-scoring passes in 2022.
Prescott has been accurate overall, his 67.9% completion percentage is seventh-best in the league, and his touchdown throws per pass attempt rank third out of all NFL passers.
With that passing score, @dak passes Danny White for sole possession of third place in Cowboys history with 156 touchdown passes. It is also his 28th career three passing score game, the second-most games in Cowboys history.
— Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) December 5, 2022
“The way the game’s played today is completely different from the way those guys played it,” Prescott said to reporters.
“Obviously, it’s humbling to be third on such a historic list, but I’m just worried about wins. Let me know when I pass those guys in wins. Or championships.”
Staubach Stadium
Roger Thomas Staubach is an American former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys who studied at Purcell Marian High School in 1960.
After long years they have decided to open an athletic complex in the fall of 2023 and will name it Staubach Stadium in his honor.
Trivia
- He is a Navy vet and an NFL superstar.
- Roger Staubach won the Heisman Trophy in 1963 and the Super Bowl MVP in 1972.
- Rodger’s post-career is as a multi-millionaire realtor.
- He is considered one of the most thrilling NFL players of the 1970s.
- In the 1970s and early 1980s, Roger Staubach was a prominent face in the men’s clothing industry, as he used to appear in both print and television advertisements for Anderson Little.
- He joined CBS Sports as a color commentator for a short period of time.
Roger Thomas Staubach | Popularity Graph
Staubach is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks of all time, which says a lot about his fan following.
Even after these long years, Roger is still popular and liked by many people, as illustrated in his graph.
Roger Staubach | FAQs
Is Roger Staubach in the Hall of Fame?
Staubach retired from football in March 1980 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
How much is Staubach’s net worth?
According to the ongoing investments and income, Staubach’s net worth is approximately $600 million.
Did Roger Staubach serve in the Navy?
After graduating, from the Naval Academy in 1965, Roger decided to serve in the Navy. He served four years of active duty service in the Navy, with one year of overseas duty in Vietnam.
Is Roger Staubach’s number retired?
The Cowboys have never officially retired any numbers. But there are four important numbers you will not see anymore, and they are 8, 12, 22, and 74.
Those belong to, in order, Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, and Bob Lilly.
Likewise, these players are in the Ring of Honor and Hall of Fame. So, the Cowboys have kept their numbers out of circulation.
Are Roger Staubach & Drew Pearson friends?
Drew Pearson and Roger Staubach are both former players of the Dallas Cowboys. Drew was the wide receiver, and Roger was the quarterback.
Since then, Drew and Roger have been best friends and have shared several magical moments during Cowboys games. Likewise, both players have been inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor.
In one of their interviews, Drew and Roger mentioned that their friendship isn’t based on one or two plays but on mutual respect.
How many Super Bowls did Roger Staubach win?
Roger Staubach made four Super Bowl appearances, including two wins: VI and Super Bowl XII win.
How much is a Roger Staubach football card worth?
As available on different sites with different prices, Roger Staubach’s football card is worth $15.39-$25.18.
Where does Roger Staubach live?
As of now, Roger Staubach lives in Preston Hollow, United States. Roger sold his Dallas mansion for $1.1 million in 2013.
What is Roger Staubach’s career statistic like?
Roger Staubach’s career stats include 1,685 pass completions in 2,958 attempts for 22,700 yards and 153 touchdowns.
So many fantastic memories I have of Roger! Dallas was never “out of the game” if he was playing. Who can ever forget the first Super Bowl win!!!