Gary Barbaro
Encyclopedia
Gary Wayne Barbaro is a former defensive back
in the National Football League
and United States Football League
.
Barbaro, who played just one year of high school football at East Jefferson High School in Metarie, Louisiana, played college football from 1971–75 at Nicholls State University
, where he is a member of the school's athletic hall of fame.
Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs
in the third round of the 1976 NFL Draft
, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Barbaro spent seven seasons with the Chiefs, earning Pro Bowl honors following the 1980, 1981, and 1982 seasons. In 1977, he led the NFL in interception return yards with 165. In seven NFL seasons (1976–1982), Barbaro intercepted 39 passes.
In a December 1977 game against the Seattle Seahawks, Barbaro, a free safety, intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 102 yards for a touchdown, an NFL record.
In November 1983, after sitting out the 1983 NFL season in a contract dispute, Barbaro signed a three-year contract with the New Jersey Generals
of the USFL. Though he spent just one season in the USFL, Barbaro was voted by fans to the USFL All-Time Team. In his only USFL season (1984), he was named to The Sporting News USFL All-Star Team.
Barbaro, who injured his left knee in the Generals' July 1984 USFL playoff loss to the Philadelphia Stars, retired from football following the 1984 USFL season. Today, he resides in Metarie, Louisiana.
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...
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...
and United States Football League
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...
.
Barbaro, who played just one year of high school football at East Jefferson High School in Metarie, Louisiana, played college football from 1971–75 at 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...
, where he is a member of the school's athletic hall of fame.
Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in the third round of the 1976 NFL Draft
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...
, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Barbaro spent seven seasons with the Chiefs, earning Pro Bowl honors following the 1980, 1981, and 1982 seasons. In 1977, he led the NFL in interception return yards with 165. In seven NFL seasons (1976–1982), Barbaro intercepted 39 passes.
In a December 1977 game against the Seattle Seahawks, Barbaro, a free safety, intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 102 yards for a touchdown, an NFL record.
In November 1983, after sitting out the 1983 NFL season in a contract dispute, Barbaro signed a three-year contract with the New Jersey Generals
New Jersey Generals
The New Jersey Generals were a franchise of the United States Football League established in 1982 to begin play in the spring and summer of 1983. The team played three seasons from 1983-85, winning 31 regular-season games and losing 25 while going 0-2 in postseason competition...
of the USFL. Though he spent just one season in the USFL, Barbaro was voted by fans to the USFL All-Time Team. In his only USFL season (1984), he was named to The Sporting News USFL All-Star Team.
Barbaro, who injured his left knee in the Generals' July 1984 USFL playoff loss to the Philadelphia Stars, retired from football following the 1984 USFL season. Today, he resides in Metarie, Louisiana.