Roy Green
Encyclopedia
Roy Calvin Green is a former American football
wide receiver
in the National Football League
who played for the St. Louis Cardinals
(1979–1987), Phoenix Cardinals
(1988–1990) and Philadelphia Eagles
(1991–1992).
Green played defensive back
and returned kicks for Henderson State University
, and achieved All-America
n status. He was drafted
by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1979 NFL Draft
. He starred as a rookie returning kicks, including a 106-yard return for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys
, tying an NFL record. Green also played well at cornerback. In 1981, he stepped in at wide receiver part-time and managed to gain 708 yards on merely 33 catches - nearly 21.5 yards per catch. The following season, Green fully transitioned to wide receiver and performed well in the strike-shortened season. Green truly shone during the next several seasons, particularly in 1984 when his 1,555 receiving yards were then the third highest in a season (through the 2005 season, this has since dropped to eighteenth). Green led the Cardinals in receiving in 1983, 1984 and 1988 (during those intervening years, veterans Pat Tilley
and J. T. Smith split time leading the team in receiving).
Following a pair of decent seasons in 1989-90, Green was traded to the Cleveland Browns
in 1991. The Browns elected to release Green before the regular season began, and he was subsequently signed to the Eagles, who sought veteran leadership at wide receiver to replace the retired Mike Quick
and the waived Cris Carter
. Green played much of that season, in which a lackluster offense was balanced by a sensational defense. Green played sparingly the following season and retired in 1993. John Madden honored Green in his annual All-Madden Team, stating that at one point, he regarded Green as not the best wide receiver in the game, but the best player. Green finished with 559 receptions for 8,965 yards and 66 touchdowns. He also rushed for 140 yards, returned 27 punts for 230 yards, and added another 2,002 yards on kickoff returns. He also intercepted 4 passes for 54 yards, and recovered 20 fumbles. Overall, he gained 11,391 yards and scored 69 touchdowns.
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...
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...
in the National Football League
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...
who played for the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1979–1987), Phoenix Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1988–1990) and Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1991–1992).
Green played defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
and returned kicks for Henderson State University
Henderson State University
Henderson State University, founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College, is a four-year public liberal arts university located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, United States. It is Arkansas's only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges...
, and achieved All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n status. He was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1979 NFL Draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979...
. He starred as a rookie returning kicks, including a 106-yard return for a touchdown against 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...
, tying an NFL record. Green also played well at cornerback. In 1981, he stepped in at wide receiver part-time and managed to gain 708 yards on merely 33 catches - nearly 21.5 yards per catch. The following season, Green fully transitioned to wide receiver and performed well in the strike-shortened season. Green truly shone during the next several seasons, particularly in 1984 when his 1,555 receiving yards were then the third highest in a season (through the 2005 season, this has since dropped to eighteenth). Green led the Cardinals in receiving in 1983, 1984 and 1988 (during those intervening years, veterans Pat Tilley
Pat Tilley
Patrick Lee Tilley is a former NFL wide receiver who played for the St. Louis Cardinals . He was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1980 season....
and J. T. Smith split time leading the team in receiving).
Following a pair of decent seasons in 1989-90, Green was traded to the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1991. The Browns elected to release Green before the regular season began, and he was subsequently signed to the Eagles, who sought veteran leadership at wide receiver to replace the retired Mike Quick
Mike Quick
Michael Anthony Quick is a former American football wide receiver who played his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles .-Playing career:...
and the waived Cris Carter
Cris Carter
Cristopher D. Carter is a former American football player in the National Football League. He played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles , the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins ....
. Green played much of that season, in which a lackluster offense was balanced by a sensational defense. Green played sparingly the following season and retired in 1993. John Madden honored Green in his annual All-Madden Team, stating that at one point, he regarded Green as not the best wide receiver in the game, but the best player. Green finished with 559 receptions for 8,965 yards and 66 touchdowns. He also rushed for 140 yards, returned 27 punts for 230 yards, and added another 2,002 yards on kickoff returns. He also intercepted 4 passes for 54 yards, and recovered 20 fumbles. Overall, he gained 11,391 yards and scored 69 touchdowns.