As Super Bowl weekend celebrates football’s greatest legends, Annapolis holds a unique place in NFL history, thanks to a U.S. Naval Academy quarterback whose path to the pros was anything but traditional. In recent years, the landscape for U.S. Naval Academy athletes pursuing professional sports has changed significantly from what it once was. However, years ago, a man by the name of Roger Staubach, who garnered nicknames such as “Roger the Dodger”, “Captain America”, and “Captain Comeback”, did the unthinkable.
Long before Staubach became a Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer, he was a Midshipman in Annapolis, leading the United States Naval Academy with the same discipline, poise, and leadership that would later define his NFL career. After winning the 1963 Heisman Trophy as the nation’s top college football player, Staubach was selected as a future pick in the 10th round of the NFL Draft but could not immediately play due to his remaining service commitment.
After color blindness was detected during his junior year, Staubach could have requested a stateside assignment; however, he chose instead to serve a year-long tour in South Vietnam. After returning stateside in 1966, he completed his active duty service while training and playing on teams made up of fellow service members, keeping his NFL hopes alive.
After serving as the backup quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in 1970, Staubach became the team’s full-time starter eight weeks into the 1971 season. His career was highlighted by a Super Bowl XII victory over the Denver Broncos, a 27–10 win in which he threw for 183 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. After suffering approximately 20 concussions over the course of his career, Staubach chose to retire following the 1979 season.
Staubach was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in Naval Academy history.
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