Rick Upchurch
Encyclopedia
Richard “Rick” Upchurch is a former professional American football
player who played wide receiver
for the Denver Broncos
(1975–1983) of the NFL
. Before his NFL career, he played for Centerville Community College in Centerville, Iowa
and the University of Minnesota
and went to high school at Springfield Local High School
in Holland, Ohio
. In 2000, Upchurch was named one of the 300 best NFL players of all time.
In his nine NFL seasons, Upchurch excelled as a receiver and a kick returner on special teams. In his rookie season, he rushed for 97 yards, caught 18 passes for 436 yards, returned 27 punts for 312 yards, and added another 1,014 yards returning kickoffs. In his second season, he set an NFL record by returning four punts for touchdowns and made the Pro Bowl
. In the 1977 season, he led the NFL with 653 punt return yards and assisted his team to their first ever Super Bowl
appearance. The Broncos lost Super Bowl XII
to the Dallas Cowboys
27-10, but he had a good performance in the game. Upchurch amassed 125 total offensive yards (94 kickoff return, 22 punt return, 9 receiving), including a Super Bowl record 67-yard kickoff return in the 3rd quarter that set up Denver’s only touchdown of the game.
Upchurch stayed with the Broncos until the 1983 season. He led the NFL in punt return average twice (1978 and 1982), and was selected to the pro bowl 3 more times (1978, 1979, 1982). He finished his 9 season career with 49 carries for 349 rushing yards, 267 receptions for 4,369 yards, 248 punt returns for 3,008 yards, and 95 kickoff returns for 2,355 yards. Overall, Upchurch gained 10,081 total yards and scored 35 touchdowns: 8 punt return, 24 receiving, 3 rushing. He was also selected All-Pro 5 times. At the time of his retirement, his 8 punt returns for touchdowns tied the NFL record shared by Jack Christiansen
. He is one of five players to record a career average of over 12 yards per punt return.
After his retirement from the NFL, Upchurch coached football at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas
during the early to mid 1990s. In 2005, Upchurch became the head football coach at East High School
in Pueblo, Colorado
. Upchurch currently resides in Mesquite, Nevada
, and frequently visits nearby communities such as St. George, Utah
, and Logandale, Nevada
, to sign autographs for Broncos fans. Upchurch is ranked the 6th greatest return specialist in NFL history on NFL Network
's NFL Top 10
Return Aces.
Condoleezza Rice
in the 1970s. She left him because, according to her biographer Marcus Mabry, “She knew the relationship wasn’t going to work.” He is currently married and has four children.
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...
player who played wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1975–1983) of the 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...
. Before his NFL career, he played for Centerville Community College in Centerville, Iowa
Centerville, Iowa
Centerville is a city in and the county seat of Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,528 in the 2010 census, a decline from 5,924 in the 2000 census. After the turn of the 20th century Centerville had a booming coal mining industry that attracted many European immigrants...
and the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
and went to high school at Springfield Local High School
Springfield Local High School
Springfield Local High School is located in Holland, Ohio. It has an enrollment of 1200 students in grades 9-12. Locally it is known as Springfield High School...
in Holland, Ohio
Holland, Ohio
Holland is a village in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,306 at the 2000 census.-History:The first name of the village was Drakes, which possibly came from the name of a family or was in reference to the large number of geese that did and still fly over the area...
. In 2000, Upchurch was named one of the 300 best NFL players of all time.
In his nine NFL seasons, Upchurch excelled as a receiver and a kick returner on special teams. In his rookie season, he rushed for 97 yards, caught 18 passes for 436 yards, returned 27 punts for 312 yards, and added another 1,014 yards returning kickoffs. In his second season, he set an NFL record by returning four punts for touchdowns and made the 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...
. In the 1977 season, he led the NFL with 653 punt return yards and assisted his team to their first ever Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
appearance. The Broncos lost Super Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII was an American football game played on January 15, 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1977 regular season...
to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
27-10, but he had a good performance in the game. Upchurch amassed 125 total offensive yards (94 kickoff return, 22 punt return, 9 receiving), including a Super Bowl record 67-yard kickoff return in the 3rd quarter that set up Denver’s only touchdown of the game.
Upchurch stayed with the Broncos until the 1983 season. He led the NFL in punt return average twice (1978 and 1982), and was selected to the pro bowl 3 more times (1978, 1979, 1982). He finished his 9 season career with 49 carries for 349 rushing yards, 267 receptions for 4,369 yards, 248 punt returns for 3,008 yards, and 95 kickoff returns for 2,355 yards. Overall, Upchurch gained 10,081 total yards and scored 35 touchdowns: 8 punt return, 24 receiving, 3 rushing. He was also selected All-Pro 5 times. At the time of his retirement, his 8 punt returns for touchdowns tied the NFL record shared by Jack Christiansen
Jack Christiansen
-External links:*Pro Football Hall of Fame: *...
. He is one of five players to record a career average of over 12 yards per punt return.
After his retirement from the NFL, Upchurch coached football at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas
Hillsboro, Kansas
Hillsboro is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. Hillsboro was named after John Gillespie Hill, who homesteaded in the area in 1871. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,993. Hillsboro is home of Tabor College, which has approximately 550 students.-19th century:For...
during the early to mid 1990s. In 2005, Upchurch became the head football coach at East High School
East High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
East High School is one of thirteen public high schools in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. It offers the International Baccalaureate program.-History:...
in Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
. Upchurch currently resides in Mesquite, Nevada
Mesquite, Nevada
Mesquite is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, adjacent to the Arizona state line and northeast of Las Vegas. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,277. The city is located in the Virgin River Valley...
, and frequently visits nearby communities such as St. George, Utah
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
, and Logandale, Nevada
Logandale, Nevada
Logandale is an unincorporated town located in Clark County, Nevada. The community is the home of the annual Clark County Fair and Rodeo. It began as a railroad station in 1912. It was originally named Logan but renamed to avoid confusion with Logan, Utah....
, to sign autographs for Broncos fans. Upchurch is ranked the 6th greatest return specialist in NFL history on NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
's NFL Top 10
NFL Top 10
NFL Top 10 is a documentary program produced by NFL Films for airing on the NFL Network. The host and narrator is Derrin Horton.The program counts down 10 items directly related to the players, coaches, and events of the National Football League, with former players, NFL Network personalities, and...
Return Aces.
Personal life
Upchurch dated and was briefly engaged to the future Secretary of StateSecretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
in the 1970s. She left him because, according to her biographer Marcus Mabry, “She knew the relationship wasn’t going to work.” He is currently married and has four children.