Iowa History Daily: On July 30, 1961, legendary Waterloo East, Iowa Hawkeye, and NFL punter Reggie Roby was born in Waterloo. A consensus All-American at Iowa, Roby spent sixteen seasons booming punts in NFL stadiums over the 1980s and 1990s.
Growing up in Waterloo, Reggie Roby displayed incredible athletic gifts from a young age. Starring in football and baseball at Waterloo East, Roby primarily played quarterback during high school. His strong arm translated well to the baseball diamond, as well, and the Cincinnati Reds drafted Roby as a pitcher.
Foregoing baseball for a scholarship to play for Hayden Fry at the University of Iowa, Roby arrived on campus in 1979. Fry positioned the stellar athlete at punter and kicker instead of utilizing him as a quarterback. The 6’4”, 250-pound Roby excelled, and his success helped propel the Hawkeyes to their first winning season in 20 years. In 1981 Roby’s leg pinned opponents deep as he set an NCAA season record with a 49.8-yard average as the Hawkeyes went to their first Rose Bowl in 23 years.
Following his decorated career in Iowa, the Miami Dolphins drafted Roby in 1983 with 167th overall pick. His career spanned stops in Miami, Washington, Tampa Bay, Houston/Tennessee, and San Francisco. A two time 1st-Team All-Pro (1984, 1994), Roby also led the league in punting twice. He also made the Pro Bowl three times, the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, and the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Roby died of a heart attack on February 22, 2005. #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryCalendar
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