Randy Beverly

No. 42, 27

Position:

Defensive back

Personal information

Date of birth:

April 3, 1944

Place of birth:

Wildwood, New Jersey

Height:

5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)

Weight:

190 lb (86 kg)

Career information

College:

Colorado State

AFL draft:

1967 / Round: - / Pick: -

Career history

New York Jets (1967–1969)
Boston Patriots (1970–1971)

Career highlights and awards

AFL champion (1968)
Super Bowl champion (III)

Career NFL statistics

Interceptions:	12
INT yards:	237
INT return TDs:	1
Games played:	61
Games started:	17
Player stats at NFL.com

Player stats at PFR

Randy Beverly (born April 3, 1944) is a former professional American football player. He played cornerback for the American Football League's New York Jets and is best known for making two key interceptions that helped the Jets to their historic victory in Super Bowl III in 1969.

Early career

Beverly grew up in Wildwood in southern New Jersey. He attended Wildwood High School, where he won the state long jump championship.^[1] He attended junior college in Trinidad, Colorado, where he was a junior college All-American. He later attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he played football. At Colorado State, he returned a kick-off for 99 yards.

Considered too small to play professional football, Beverly was passed up in the 1967 NFL Draft. He signed with the Jets as rookie free agent in the fall of 1967. He received a signing bonus of $500 and a one-year contract of $12,500. In 1968, Beverly became the starting cornerback of the Jets. The team went 11-3, winning the American Football League East division. They defeated the Oakland Raiders in the AFL Championship game and faced the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League in Super Bowl III.

Third AFL-NFL World Championship Game

The Jets had managed a solid defense throughout the season, but going into Super Bowl III, the Jets passing defense was not considered particularly strong. With the Jets installed as an 18-point underdog, Beverly's small stature made him a main target of Colts' quarterback Earl Morrall. However, Beverly put together a remarkable performance, becoming the first player ever to record two interceptions in a Super Bowl.

In the first quarter, the Colts drove down the field, seemingly fulfilling the predictions about their offensive prowess. Reaching the Jets' 10-yard-line, Morrall threw a pass into the end zone, but the pass bounced off a Jets lineman, then hit the shoulder pads of Colts tight end Tom Mitchell. Beverly tracked the ball and caught it in the end zone, ending the Colts first drive.

The Jets defense continued to stymie the Colts for the rest of the first half, shutting them out and prompting the insertion of Colt legend Johnny Unitas at quarterback. Driving the Colts down the field and poised to score the team's first touchdown of the game, Unitas threw a crossing pattern to one of his wide receiver's in the end zone, but Beverly stepped in front and caught the ball in the end zone, downing it for a touchback. While the Colts managed to score a late touchdown, the Jets' 16-7 triumph is considered to be one of the greatest upsets in the history of professional sports in the United States.

Later career

Beverly played a third season with the Jets in 1969. In 1970 the Jets traded Beverly to the San Diego Chargers for wide receiver Richard Trapp. He was waived by the Chargers and later signed by the Boston Patriots, where he played on special teams. Although his two interceptions were among the most dramatic in the history of postseason NFL play, he intercepted only four passes during the rest of his NFL career. He later played in the World Football League with former Jet Super Bowl alumni Gerry Philbin, George Sauer, Jr., John Dockery, and Vito (Babe) Parilli with the New York Stars.

Beverly now lives in Monroe Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey.^[2] He regularly attends home games of the New York Jets at Giants Stadium with other Jets alumni. He is a husband, father, and grandfather of seven. Grandchildren's names are from oldest to youngest; Sean,Vanessa, Briana, Victoria, Brittany, Stefania, and Fabio Randy. One of his son, Randy Beverly Jr. was the Head Coach of an American Football team in Sweden, Örebro Black Knights. He was earlier the Head Coach of the Milano Rams.

References

↑ Randy Beverly profile, database Football. Accessed June 14, 2007.
↑ Todaro, Vincent. "Former Jets star enjoys retirement in Monroe: Randy Beverly, now 57, was a key player for the Jets in Super Bowl III", East Brunswick Sentinel, July 13, 2001. Accessed June 14, 2007."

External links

New York Jets Super Bowl III Champions

11 Jim Turner 12 Joe Namath (MVP) 13 Don Maynard 15 Babe Parilli 22 Jim Hudson 23 Bill Rademacher 24 Johnny Sample 26 Jim Richards 29 Bake Turner 30 Mark Smolinski 31 Bill Mathis 32 Emerson Boozer 33 Curley Johnson 34 Lee White 41 Matt Snell 42 Randy Beverly 43 John Dockery 45 Earl Christy 46 Bill Baird 47 Mike D'Amato 48 Cornell Gordon 50 Carl McAdams 51 Ralph Baker 52 John Schmitt 56 Paul Crane 60 Larry Grantham 61 Bob Talamini 62 Al Atkinson 63 John Neidert 65 Paul Seiler 66 Randy Rasmussen 67 Dave Herman 71 Sam Walton 72 Paul Rochester 74 Jeff Richardson 75 Winston Hill 80 John Elliott 81 Gerry Philbin 83 George Sauer 85 Steve Thompson 86 Verlon Biggs 87 Pete Lammons

Head Coach: Weeb Ewbank

Coaches: Walt Michaels Clive Rush Buddy Ryan Joe Spencer

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