Robert Andrew Naponic (born March 9, 1947) is an American former professional football quarterback who played for the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL).[1]

Bob Naponic
No. 14
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1947-03-09) March 9, 1947 (age 77)
Greensburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:Hempfield Area (PA)
College:Illinois
NFL draft:1969 / round: 10 / pick: 256
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Games played:2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

His NFL career lasted but a single season, 1970, which was also the first of the Oilers' forty seasons in the NFL after the AFL–NFL merger.

Biography

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Naponic played at the collegiate level at the University of Illinois.

During his sole year with the Oilers, Naponic was third on the depth chart behind Charley Johnson and Jerry Rhome. Up until the final game for the 1970 season, he had thrown only one pass, for an incompletion in a 44–0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. His final game took place at the Cotton Bowl against the Dallas Cowboys. With injuries to Rhome and Johnson, Naponic took over the quarterback duties against the Doomsday Defense. He completed 6 of 19 passes for a net of 65 yards 52–10 Oiler loss.[2]

Naponic's son, Jackson, later played football as a fullback at Texas Christian University while pursuing a finance degree.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Robert Naponic football Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  2. ^ Robertson, Dale (October 3, 2014). "Cowboys bring out best, and worst, from Oilers and Texans". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  3. ^ "Jackson Naponic". TCU. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
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