Bobby Boyd
5'11" 195
Cornerback
Baltimore Colts
1960 - 1968
9 Seasons
121 Games Played
57 Interceptions
994 Return Yards
5 Touchdowns
3 Pro Bowls
Robert Dean Boyd was a 10th round draft pick of the Baltimore Colts in the 1960 draft. He was the 119th player chosen overall. Boyd was a star at the University of Oklahoma. Playing both ways, Bobby excelled at quarterback and defensive back for the Sooners. His best season in college was 1959, when he was an All Big 8 selection that year. He led the team in interceptions with 3, took a punt return for a touchdown, and threw an 86 yard touchdown pass to Sooner and wrestling legend Wahoo McDaniel. It is still the second longest touchdown pass in Sooner history. Boyd was the quarterback at the helm when the Sooners legendary 74 conference game winning streak ended at the hands of Nebraska, when the Cornhuskers intercepted a pass from Bobby late in the game to secure the win. Boyd averaged an outstanding 19.43 yards per punt return in his career at Oklahoma.
Bobby joined a Colts team just coming off of back to back championships. He didn't play in 3 games in his rookie year, but he still managed to swipe 7 interceptions for 132 yards. He took one ball for a career long 74 yards that year. Bobby was a starter for the rest of his career in the NFL, and would only miss 2 games for the duration. 1961 saw Boyd have a career low 2 interceptions, but he also returned punts for the Colts. His 173 yards on 18 returns was the 3rd best in the NFL that year. He also got in on offense and threw the only pass of his career, which fell incomplete. Bobby had 7 interceptions the next year, and was second in the league with a career best 4 fumble recoveries. He also returned the last 3 punt returns of his career, and rushed the ball twice for 13 yards. Boyd scored the first touchdown of his career in 1963, when he took a fumble 34 yards to the end zone. Boyd also had 3 picks that year as well. 1964 was a memorable year in Baltimore for the Colts and Boyd. Bobby was named to his first All Pro team after accruing a career best 9 interceptions. He led the NFL with a career high 185 return yards, and took his last career rushing attempt for 25 yards. The Colts would reach the championship game before losing to the Cleveland Browns. Boyd led the NFL in interceptions with 9 the following season, and was named an All Pro again. He also scored a touchdown off of one of his thefts. Over the next two seasons, Bobby had 6 interceptions in each year for a total of 259 yards. He scored a touchdown in each season as well. 1968 would be the last year in the NFL for Bobby Boyd. He made the best of it by having 8 interceptions for 160 yards and a touchdown. He was named to his last All Pro team, as the Colts would win the NFL Championship before going on to lose Super Bowl III to the New York Jets of the American Football League. He retired after that season.
I find it amazing that Bobby Boyd has yet to be inducted into Canton. The numbers do not lie. He averaged over 6 interceptions a season for his career, which is outstanding. He also almost averaged an interception for every two games that he played, another astonishing rate. It is quite obvious the man created opportunities for his team to win by continuously getting the ball back for his team. He retired with the second most interceptions in NFL history and is still ranked 10th overall. Only 6 cornerbacks in NFL history have more interceptions than Bobby Boyd. As I have previously stated in past CCC profiles, the saddest part is that the voters of today's Hall Of Fame committee are filled with people who never saw Boyd play. Time keeps passing, and the memory of his exploits get more faded. Still, his raw statistics obviously tell any football fan that Bobby Boyd is definitely deserving of rightfully taking his place in Canton.
Notable 1960 Draftees (* Denotes Hall of Fame Inductee)
1. Billy Cannon, RB, LA Rams
3. Johnny Robinson, DB, Detroit
8. Jim Houston, LB, Cleveland
10. Ron Mix, OT, Baltimore *
20. Maxie Baughan, LB, Philadelphia
32. Don Meredith, QB, Chicago
42. Roger Brown, DT, Detroit
44. Jim Marshall, DT, Cleveland
55. Abner Haynes, RB, Pittsburgh
74. Larry Wilson, S, St. Louis Cardinals *
109. Charley Johnson, QB, St. Louis Cardinals
110. Curtis McClinton, RB, LA Rams
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