Rocky Thompson (American football)

Last updated

Rocky Thompson
No. 22
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (1947-11-08) November 8, 1947 (age 76)
Paget, Bermuda
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
College: West Texas State
NFL draft: 1971  / round: 1 / pick: 18
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts-yards:68-217
Receptions-yards:16-85
Touchdowns:3
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Ralph Gary "Rocky" Thompson (born November 8, 1947) is a Bermudan former professional American football player for the New York Giants in the National Football League (NFL).

Thompson, a running back/wide receiver, played college football at Hartnell College and West Texas State, where he was the roommate of future Dallas Cowboys star Duane Thomas. Thompson was a world-class sprinter who won the AAA Championships 100 metres in 1970 with a time of 10.1 seconds, [1] and representing Bermuda, he reached the final of the 100 metres at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games, finishing sixth.

The Giants drafted Thompson in the first round of the 1971 NFL draft with the 18th overall selection. He appeared in all 28 regular-season games for the Giants in 1971 and 1972, primarily as a kickoff returner, but his NFL career was ended by a severe neck injury during play. [2] The Giants subsequently released Thompson before the start of the 1974 season. [3]

Shortly after Thompson was selected in the first round of the 1971 draft out of West Texas State, The New York Times reported that Rocky Thompson is listed in Bermuda and in official Brit track records as Ralph Gary Symonds. Thompson explained that his mother's maiden name was Symonds but when she remarried he took his stepfather's name of "Thompson." But he competed at track under his mother's maiden name, and later as Rocky Thompson-Symonds, since his mother had also ran track for Bermuda. [4]

Thompson was born in Bermuda and grew up there. [5] [6]

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References

  1. ↑ Leonard Koppett, "Thompson, Runner from West Texas, is Webster's Pick", New York Times, January 29, 1971 (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Rocky Thompson statistics at databasefootball.com Archived 2010-02-12 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "Giants cut Randy Johnson, Evans and Thompson", New York Times, Sept. 11, 1974
  4. ↑ Amdur, Neil (5 February 1971). "Mystery about Giants' No. 1 pick cleared up". Dayton Daily News. p. 21. Retrieved 21 August 2022– via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Koppeit, Leonard (29 September 1972). "Thompson Makes a Giant Splash Now". The New York Times . Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  6. ↑ Eskenazi, Gerald (3 August 1971). "Rocky Road for Giants' Rookie". The New York Times . Retrieved 23 October 2024.


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