Randy Beverly
Encyclopedia
Randy Beverly 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.
in southern New Jersey
. He attended Wildwood High School
, where he won the state long jump
championship. He attended junior college
in Trinidad, Colorado
, where he was a junior college All-America
n. 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
.
.
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 scoring 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
.
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
. 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 six. grandchildren's names are from oldest to youngest; Sean,Vanessa, Briana, Victoria, Brittany, and Stefania .
One of his son, Randy Beverly Jr. is Head Coach of an American Football team in Italy, the Milano Rams.
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. He played cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and is best known for making two key interceptions that helped the Jets to their historic victory in Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
in 1969.
Early career
Beverly grew up in WildwoodWildwood, New Jersey
Wildwood is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area and is a popular summer resort destination. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's year-round population was 5,325...
in southern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He attended Wildwood High School
Wildwood High School
Wildwood High School is a comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Wildwood, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Wildwood Public School District....
, where he won the state long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
championship. He attended junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
in Trinidad, Colorado
Trinidad, Colorado
The historic City of Trinidad is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Las Animas County, Colorado, United States...
, where he was a junior college 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. He later attended Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
in Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
, 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
1967 NFL Draft
The 1967 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft in the first year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players on March 14–15.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
. 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
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
of the Jets. The team went 11-3, winning the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
East division. They defeated the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the AFL Championship game and faced the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
of 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...
in Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
.
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 BowlSuper 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...
.
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
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Tom Mitchell. Beverly tracked the ball and caught it in the end zone, ending the Colts first scoring 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
Johnny Unitas
John Constantine Unitas , known as Johnny Unitas or "Johnny U", and nicknamed "The Golden Arm", was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He was a record-setting quarterback, and the National Football...
at quarterback. Driving the Colts down the field and poised to score the team's first touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
of the game, Unitas threw a crossing pattern to one of his 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...
'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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Later career
Beverly played a third season with the Jets in 1969. In 19701970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
the Jets traded Beverly to the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for wide receiver Richard Trapp
Richard Trapp
Richard Earl Trapp was an American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the American Football League for two seasons in the late 1960s...
. He was waived by the Chargers and later signed by the Boston Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, 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
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
with former Jet Super Bowl alumni Gerry Philbin
Gerry Philbin
Gerald John Philbin is a former American collegiate football defensive tackle and four year starter from the University at Buffalo where he earned several honors including Second- team All-American, Little All-America, and All-American Academic team...
, George Sauer, Jr.
George Sauer, Jr.
George Sauer, Jr. is a former professional American football wide receiver who played six seasons for the American Football League's New York Jets. He led the AFL in receptions in the 1967 season. In 1968, he started for the Jets in the third AFL-NFL World Championship Game, helping defeat the...
, John Dockery
John Dockery
John Dockery is an American sportscaster and former American football defensive back who played for the New York Jets and later the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1968 to 1973. He was drafted by the Jets out of Harvard...
, and Vito (Babe) Parilli with the New York Stars.
Beverly now lives in Monroe Township
Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey
Monroe Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 27,999. Monroe was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 9, 1838, from portions of South Amboy Township, based on the...
in Middlesex County, New Jersey
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
. He regularly attends home games of the New York Jets at Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
with other Jets alumni. He is a husband, father, and grandfather of six. grandchildren's names are from oldest to youngest; Sean,Vanessa, Briana, Victoria, Brittany, and Stefania .
One of his son, Randy Beverly Jr. is Head Coach of an American Football team in Italy, the Milano Rams.