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| Bob Waterfield | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bob Waterfield |
| Birth date | March 17, 1920 |
| Birth place | Elmira, New York |
| Death date | May 2, 1983 |
| Death place | Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation | Professional American football player, coach, broadcaster |
| Position | Quarterback, Kicker |
| College | UCLA |
| Nfl teams | Cleveland Rams / Los Angeles Rams |
Bob Waterfield was an American professional football player, coach, and broadcaster best known as a quarterback and placekicker for the Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams during the 1940s and early 1950s. A multi-sport athlete and college standout, he rose to prominence with an NFL championship and multiple Pro Bowl selections before transitioning to coaching and media roles. Waterfield's career intersected with major figures and institutions in mid-20th century American sports and entertainment.
Waterfield was born in Elmira, New York, and raised in the American Northeast before his family moved to California. As a youth he attended high school near Los Angeles, where he excelled in athletics and attracted attention from regional programs including UCLA and other Pacific Coast institutions such as USC and Stanford. He matriculated at UCLA, joining a campus community that included noted figures from the Pacific Coast Conference and associating with coaches who competed against programs like California and Washington.
At UCLA, Waterfield played under coaches connected to the broader collegiate football landscape, contending with teams such as the Notre Dame and USC. He developed skills that drew the attention of professional scouts from franchises like the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Cleveland Rams. His collegiate performance placed him among notable contemporaries who later starred for franchises in the NFL, including players who would join teams like the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.
Drafted by the Cleveland Rams, Waterfield moved with the franchise to Los Angeles as the team became the Los Angeles Rams, joining a roster that featured future Hall of Famers and coaching staff who influenced the NFL's postwar era. He played quarterback and served as a placekicker, competing against quarterbacks from teams such as the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins, and Detroit Lions. Waterfield led the Rams to an NFL Championship victory, and he earned selections to Pro Bowl rosters that included players from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Baltimore Colts. His on-field achievements placed him in statistical company with contemporaries like Sid Luckman, Sammy Baugh, and Otto Graham.
After retiring from playing, Waterfield moved into coaching and broadcasting, working within networks and media markets that covered teams such as the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys. He joined coaching staffs and spent time with organizations linked to the American Football League, the NFL, and college programs that overlapped with institutions like UCLA and USC. As a broadcaster, he appeared on stations and programs that also featured commentators who covered franchises including the New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers.
Waterfield's personal life intersected with the entertainment industry in Los Angeles and connections to celebrities and public figures associated with studios such as Universal Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His marriage and relationships drew attention from outlets that followed stars linked to the Academy Awards and Hollywood institutions like the Screen Actors Guild. After his death in Los Angeles, his legacy was recalled by sports historians, former teammates from the Rams, and Hall of Fame selectors who also considered peers from franchises including the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers.
Waterfield received honors and statistical distinctions during his career, including Pro Bowl selections and franchise records for passing and kicking that stood alongside records held by players from teams such as the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Redskins. He was recognized in historical retrospectives by halls of fame and sports institutions that honor contributors to the NFL and collegiate programs like UCLA. His career figures are cited in comparisons with contemporaries such as Sammy Baugh, Otto Graham, Sid Luckman, and later quarterbacks who would play for teams like the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.
Category:1920 births Category:1983 deaths Category:Los Angeles Rams players Category:UCLA Bruins football players