Richie Lucas

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Richie Lucas
Date of birth	April 15, 1938 (1938-04-15) (age 70)
Place of birth	Glassport, PA
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	190 pounds (86.2 kg)
Position(s)	Quarterback
College	Penn State
AFL Draft	1960 / Round 1
NFL Draft	1960 / Round 1
Jersey Number	11
Career highlights
Awards	1959 Maxwell Award
Stats
Statistics	Pro Football Reference DatabaseFootball
Teams
1960-1961 1962	AFL Buffalo Bills AFL Denver Broncos
College Football Hall of Fame

Richard John "Riverboat Richie" Lucas (born April 15, 1938 in Glassport, Pennsylvania is a College Football Hall of Fame quarterback best known for his All-American career at Penn State University (1957-1959). He was a first round pick in both the NFL and AFL drafts in 1960. Lucas signed with the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, making him officially the franchise's first player. [1] There he played quarterback, halfback, and defensive back for two seasons before he was obtained by the AFL's Denver Broncos following the AFL's 1962 equalization draft, but he never played for the Broncos. [2]

Nicknamed "Riverboat Richie" due to his gambling instincts when calling plays,[3] Lucas won the 1959 Maxwell Trophy and was runner-up to LSU's Billy Cannon of for the 1959 Heisman Trophy. He returned to Penn State following his pro football career, serving as assistant athletic director until 1998. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

[edit] See also

• Other American Football League players

[edit] External links

• Archive photos of 1960 Buffalo Bills
• "Riverboat Richie" by Lou Pratom, for Penn State's All-Sports Museum
• The Pennsylvania Football News All-Century Team