Lee Roy Caffey

Lee Roy Caffey

Date of birth	(1941-06-03)June 3, 1941
Place of birth	Rockdale, Texas
Date of death
Place of death	Houston, Texas
Career information
Position(s)	Linebacker
College	Texas A&M
NFL draft	1963 / Round: 7 / Pick: 88
Career history
As player
1963	Philadelphia Eagles
1964–1969	Green Bay Packers
1970	Chicago Bears
1971	Dallas Cowboys
1972	San Diego Chargers
Career highlights and awards
Honors	Texas A&M Hall Of Fame Texas A&M All Decade Team Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Green Bay Packer 75th Anniversary All Time Team Pro Bowl All-Pro 1965 World Championship Super Bowl l Super Bowl ll Super Bowl VI Texas High School All Super Bowl Team ESPN Top 10 Best Linebacker Trio
Career stats
Playing stats at NFL.com Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Lee Roy Caffey (June 3, 1941 – January 18, 1994) was an American football linebacker in the National Football League.

Early years

Caffey started his football career in Thorndale, Texas at the age of ten when he played on a pee wee league that traveled to Oklahoma to play in the 'Milk Bowl Championship' and shook hands with American legend and Olympic gold medalist Jim Thorpe. In high school Caffey won State in the high jump and was All State in basketball. He broke his collarbone in football his senior year and was out most of the season and was recruited to play college football at Texas A&M based on his basketball skills. He graduated from Thorndale High School in 1959.

College career

Caffey played college football at Texas A&M University where he played both sides of the ball and led the Aggies in rushing in 1961. Defensively the Aggies had 11 games where they allowed just 7 points or less and in 3 years gave up an average of 12 points. He played in the 1963 Challenge Bowl, and on the 1963 College All Star Football Team who beat Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers, prompting Lombardi to trade for him the next season. He is a member of the Texas A&M Hall of Fame, and a member of the Texas A&M All-Decade Team of the 1960s. He is the first Texas A&M Aggie to play in, and win, a Super Bowl and is considered one of Texas A&M's top 10 best players in the NFL.

Professional career

Philadelphia Eagles

Caffey was selected in the seventh round of the 1963 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was also an AFL fourth round draft choice for the Houston Oilers. He was named to the NFL All Rookie team.

Green Bay Packers

Caffey was acquired by the Green Bay Packers in the famous 'Jim Ringo' trade where he became a starting linebacker. He started in 11 games his first year with Green Bay, during his six years with the team he would start in 80 of a possible 84 regular season games, and would become an All-Pro Player. At 6' 4 with 10.0 speed in the 100 yards he was one of the fastest linebackers in the league, and was versatile enough to play both the outside or middle position. Caffey intercepted 9 passes returning 2 for touchdowns including a 52 yard interception against the Baltimore Colts in 1966. He played on three of Vince Lombardi's championship teams at Green Bay which include the 1965 World Championship, Super Bowl I where he led with 7 tackles, and Super Bowl II. Caffey played in the legendary Ice Bowl in 1967 and is credited with making 3 tackles for a loss, forcing a fumble, and accounted for the Packers only sack by dumping Don Meredith for a 9 yard loss; then spilling running backs Dan Reeves and Craig Baynham for 4 and 3 yard losses. Caffey was named AP and UPI All-Pro in 1966 and played in the 1966 Pro Bowl. In 1970, after Lombardi's departure from the team, Caffey was traded to the Chicago Bears.

Dallas Cowboys

Caffey was acquired by the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a seventh round draft choice. He was with the Cowboys for the franchise's first Super Bowl championship team (Super Bowl VI) under Tom Landry where Caffey received his third career Super Bowl ring and fourth championship ring. He was traded to San Diego at the beginning of the 1972 where he finished his career and retired.

Legacy

Caffey is considered one of the most underrated linebackers in the NFL because he played beside Ray Nitschke in Green Bay, then beside Dick Butkus in Chicago. He is a member of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame and was selected to the 75th Anniversary All Time Packer Team, the Texas High School All Super Bowl Team, and was nominated for ESPN's All Time Super Bowl Team. In 2006, the Green Bay Packers' linebacking corps of Ray Nitschke, Dave Robinson, and Lee Roy Caffey was named one of the NFL's Top 10 Greatest Linebacking Trios in the history of the NFL.

Personal life

Lee Roy Caffey died of colon cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Hospital in Houston, Texas in 1994 at the age of 53.

External links

• Gallery of Lee Roy Caffey football cards