A Longhorn Legend who was the first-ever draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1965, Tommy Nobis passed away on Wednesday morning.
He played for the Longhorns from 1963-65 and was inducted into the Longhorn Men’s Hall of Honor in 1976. His No. 60 is retired by both The University of Texas and the Atlanta Falcons, as he joins Earl Campbell, Bobby Layne, Ricky Williams, Vince Young and Colt McCoy as the only Longhorns to have their jerseys retired at UT. He was Texas’ first-ever No. 1 overall draft pick.
At Texas, Nobis was an offensive guard and linebacker on the 1963 Longhorn team which claimed UT’s first national championship, the only sophomore starter on that team. He went on to earn every honor available to a lineman during the next two seasons, even though a knee injury would slow him down in 1965. He won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s best player and the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best lineman. He was a two-time All-American (1964-65) and a three-time All-Southwest Conference honoree (1963-65).
In eleven professional seasons, he led the Falcons in tackles nine times, went to five Pro Bowls (one in 1972 after two knee surgeries), was named All-Pro twice and was chosen for the NFL’s “All-Decade Team” for the 1960s despite playing on a team that won only 16 games in their first five years of existence. As the first member of the Atlanta Falcons, he gained the nickname of “Mr. Falcon.” In his first season, he was not only chosen the NFL Rookie of the Year and voted to the Pro Bowl, but amassed 294 tackles, which still stands as an NFL record.
After his playing days, Nobis remained loyal to the Falcons, working in the front office for nearly 40 years after his 11-year playing career.
Nobis is a member of the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame, in addition to the Longhorn Men’s Hall of Honor. He is also in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame and the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame.
Former Teammate Mike Perrin: “Tommy Nobis was an icon not just at The University of Texas, but in all of college football. More than that to me, though, he was a friend. He was a real treasure who personified greatness as a player and a human being. The Longhorn family celebrates his life well lived, even as we grieve his passing.”
Legendary Longhorn Coach Mack Brown: “We lost a great Longhorn in Tommy Nobis. When you’re one of the six numbers retired in the long, proud history of Texas Football, your legacy is something special. Coach Royal told me many times that Tommy was one of the best players he had ever coached or seen. He was as physically dominant of a linebacker as the game will ever have. I was so lucky to get to know him and he was truly as special of a person as he was a player. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He will be missed.”
Texas Football Head Coach Tom Herman: “It’s a sad day with the passing of Tommy Nobis. His accomplishments, memories and legacy are a huge part of our program. He was a National Champion, National Player of the Year, an NFL All-Pro and one of the best linebackers to ever strap on a helmet. The conversation of the greatest players in Texas Football history will always include his name. He is a true Longhorn Legend. His family and friends are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”