Bobby Hebert
Encyclopedia
Bobby Joseph Hebert Jr., (surname pronounced eɪˈbɛər; born August 19, 1960) is an American sportscaster
who is best known as a retired Pro bowl
American football
quarterback
of the New Orleans Saints
. He played professionally in the USFL
and NFL
from 1983 to 1996 for the Michigan Panthers
, Oakland Invaders
, New Orleans Saints
, and Atlanta Falcons
. Nicknamed the "Cajun Cannon", Hebert led the Panthers to the USFL championship in the league's inaugural season. Later he helped bring the Saints their first playoff appearance in franchise history. Hebert was inducted to the Saints Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
, defeating the Philadelphia Stars, 24-22. The team struggled a bit with injuries in 1984 and a weakened squad was knocked out of the playoffs by Steve Young's Los Angeles Express 27-21 in triple OT. In 1985, the Panthers were merged with the Oakland Invaders and Hebert again lead his team to the finals against the Stars. This time Hebert's team fell short and the Stars won 28-24. In three years in the USFL, Hebert completed 773 of 1,407 passes for 13,137 passing yards. He is the USFL's all-time leader in passing yardage.
's New Orleans Saints
, and in 1986, he split time with quarterback Dave Wilson. In 1987, he was made starting quarterback with John Fourcade
as back up. In 1990, he held out for more money due to contract disputes. Therefore, Saints GM Jim Finks traded away several draft choices for Steve Walsh. In 1991 and 1992 he led the Saints to excellent starts and playoff appearances. For leading the 1991 Saints to their [then] "best start ever" Hebert was honored by gracing the front cover of the October 7, 1991 Sports Illustrated
. In 1993, he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons and was selected to his only Pro Bowl
that season. He took a small number of snaps as a backup to Jeff George
in 1994 and 1995, as well as the first few games of 1996. Jeff George's infamous Sunday Night Football
blowup caused Coach
June Jones
to bench George for the rest of the game. Jones then named Hebert starting QB. Hebert retired after his 1996 season with the Falcons.
team. Beaux is currently the quarterback for the Nicholls State University
football team. Bobby recently married Joan Hebert, and currently resides in New Orleans.
Hebert is currently a co-host of a sports radio show with Deke Bellavia on WWL 870 and 105.3 FM
in New Orleans. Their show 'SportsTalk' is the #1 rated talk show in their time slot.
On December 2, 2006, Hebert was honored by the City of Natchitoches
, where he attended college at Northwestern State University
, as the grand marshal of the annual Christmas
lighting event. Hebert also rode as the grand marshal of Rex in the 2007 New Orleans Mardi Gras Parade. He is locally known for his very popular July 4 firework shows.
. In the episode "The Big Salad
", George Costanza
has a dialogue with his girlfriend Julie
concerning his fascination with the pronunciation of Hebert's last name.
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
who is best known as a retired Pro bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
of the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. He played professionally in the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
and NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
from 1983 to 1996 for the Michigan Panthers
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
, Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders was a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League from 1983 through 1985.-In reaction to the Raiders relocating to Los Angeles:...
, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, and Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Nicknamed the "Cajun Cannon", Hebert led the Panthers to the USFL championship in the league's inaugural season. Later he helped bring the Saints their first playoff appearance in franchise history. Hebert was inducted to the Saints Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
USFL
Hebert was among the best quarterbacks in the USFL's short history. In 1983, he won the USFL championship with the Michigan PanthersMichigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
, defeating the Philadelphia Stars, 24-22. The team struggled a bit with injuries in 1984 and a weakened squad was knocked out of the playoffs by Steve Young's Los Angeles Express 27-21 in triple OT. In 1985, the Panthers were merged with the Oakland Invaders and Hebert again lead his team to the finals against the Stars. This time Hebert's team fell short and the Stars won 28-24. In three years in the USFL, Hebert completed 773 of 1,407 passes for 13,137 passing yards. He is the USFL's all-time leader in passing yardage.
NFL
In 1985, his rookie season with the NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, and in 1986, he split time with quarterback Dave Wilson. In 1987, he was made starting quarterback with John Fourcade
John Fourcade
John Charles Fourcade, Jr. is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints and the current head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Magic of the Southern Indoor Football League...
as back up. In 1990, he held out for more money due to contract disputes. Therefore, Saints GM Jim Finks traded away several draft choices for Steve Walsh. In 1991 and 1992 he led the Saints to excellent starts and playoff appearances. For leading the 1991 Saints to their [then] "best start ever" Hebert was honored by gracing the front cover of the October 7, 1991 Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. In 1993, he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons and was selected to his only Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
that season. He took a small number of snaps as a backup to Jeff George
Jeff George
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" George is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft...
in 1994 and 1995, as well as the first few games of 1996. Jeff George's infamous Sunday Night Football
Sunday Night Football
Sunday Night Football is a weekly American football game held throughout most of the season by the National Football League. Sunday night games have been played regularly since 1987 and have thus far aired on three different television outlets:...
blowup caused Coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
June Jones
June Jones
June Sheldon Jones, III is the American football head coach for Southern Methodist University.-Playing career:Jones played the quarterback position on three college teams: Oregon , Hawaii , and Portland State . It is during his time at Portland State that he was introduced to the Run and Shoot...
to bench George for the rest of the game. Jones then named Hebert starting QB. Hebert retired after his 1996 season with the Falcons.
Later life and family
His ex-wife Teresa and he have four children together, daughters Ryan and Cammy and sons T-Bob and Beaux. T-Bob is currently the starting center/offensive guard for the LSU Tigers footballLSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
team. Beaux is currently the quarterback for the Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University, founded in 1948, is a public university located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA. Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System of universities. Originally called Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the institution split from the Louisiana State University System in...
football team. Bobby recently married Joan Hebert, and currently resides in New Orleans.
Hebert is currently a co-host of a sports radio show with Deke Bellavia on WWL 870 and 105.3 FM
WWL AM & FM
WWL is a U.S. radio station in New Orleans, Louisiana broadcasting at 870 kHz, a clear channel frequency on which it reaches large parts of the Gulf Coast in the daytime, and much of the United States at night. It is regularly heard east of the Rockies every night, and sometimes is heard as far...
in New Orleans. Their show 'SportsTalk' is the #1 rated talk show in their time slot.
On December 2, 2006, Hebert was honored by the City of Natchitoches
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
, where he attended college at Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
, as the grand marshal of the annual Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
lighting event. Hebert also rode as the grand marshal of Rex in the 2007 New Orleans Mardi Gras Parade. He is locally known for his very popular July 4 firework shows.
In media
Hebert was a topic of conversation on an episode of the American sitcom SeinfeldSeinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
. In the episode "The Big Salad
The Big Salad
"The Big Salad" is the 88th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 2nd episode for the 6th season. It aired on September 29, 1994.-Plot:...
", George Costanza
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
has a dialogue with his girlfriend Julie
Michelle Forbes
Michelle Renee Forbes Guajardo , known professionally as Michelle Forbes, is an American actress who has built a career of work in television and independent film and has acted in productions in both the United States and in the United Kingdom...
concerning his fascination with the pronunciation of Hebert's last name.