Richie Lucas

Richard John "Riverboat Richie" Lucas (born April 15, 1938) is an American former collegiate and Professional Football quarterback, noteworthy as a College Football Hall of Fame quarterback, and best known for his All-American career at Pennsylvania State University (1957–1959).

Lucas was born in Glassport, Pennsylvania. He was a first round pick in both the NFL and AFL drafts in 1960. Like many college stars of the era, and possibly because of the conservative style of play in the old NFL, Lucas signed with a team in the wide-open new American Football League, namely the Buffalo Bills, making him officially the franchise's first player.[1] There he played quarterback, halfback, defensive back and kick returner for two seasons before he was obtained by the AFL's Denver Broncos following the AFL's 1962 equalization draft, but he never played for the Broncos.[2]

Nicknamed "Riverboat Richie" due to his gambling instincts when calling plays,[3] Lucas won the 1959 Maxwell Trophy and was runner-up to LSU's Billy Cannon for the 1959 Heisman Trophy. He returned to Penn State following his pro football career, serving as assistant athletic director until 1998. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

See also

• Other American Football League players

External links

• Lucas' 1960 Fleer football card
• Archive photos of 1960 Buffalo Bills
• "Riverboat Richie" by Lou Prato, for Penn State's All-Sports Museum
• The Pennsylvania Football News All-Century Team