Bob Breunig
No. 53 | |||||||||
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| Linebacker | |||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: July 4, 1953 | |||||||||
| Place of birth: Inglewood, California | |||||||||
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Career information | |||||||||
| High school: Phoenix (AZ) Alhambra | |||||||||
| College: Arizona State | |||||||||
| NFL Draft: 1975 / Round: 3 / Pick: 70 | |||||||||
| Debuted in 1975 | |||||||||
| Last played in 1984 | |||||||||
Career history
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Career highlights and awards
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Robert Paul Breunig (born July 4, 1953) is a former American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League from 1975 to 1984. He played college football at Arizona State University and was drafted in the third round of the 1975 NFL Draft.
Early years
Breunig attended Alhambra High School in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was named an All-American in football, after leading his team in scoring and rushing as a fullback. He was also the wrestling AAA heavyweight champion, achieving a 42-1 record between his junior and senior seasons.[1]
In 2000, he was included in the Arizona Athletes of the Century list and to the Arizona All-Century high school football team. In 2010, he was inducted into the Arizona High School Sports Hall of Fame.
College career
Breunig signed with Arizona State University and became a starter by his second year, leading the team in tackles with 91 (including 19 against the Air Force Academy). He would remain the team leader in tackles with 117 as a junior and 145 as a senior. He was a first team All-America, two-time WAC Defensive Player of the Year ('73, '74) and a three-time All-WAC selection. He played in the East-West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl and the Coaches All-America Game.[2]
He was a part of two 10-win seasons, a 28-8 overall record, two Fiesta Bowl wins, and the 1972 and 1973 Western Athletic Conference championships. He starred for three nationally ranked teams from 1972-74, and helped the Sun Devils reach a No. 3 national rank in 1974. In 1999, he was chosen as the Butkus Silver Anniversary Award Winner, and in 1996, he was named to the "All Time" Arizona State University and Western Athletic Conference teams.
He graduated holding the career total tackles record (353), the career solo tackles record (206) and the single-season records for both categories. He was named team MVP as a senior and was team captain twice, and led the team in tackles in three consecutive seasons from 1972-74).[3]
While at college, he remained a wrestler, winning the Western Athletic Conference heavyweight championship.
In 1977, he was inducted into Arizona State University Hall of Fame and in 2012, he was inducted into the Sun Devil Football Ring of Honor. The Arizona Republic named him to the 100 All-Time ASU Players List in the summer of 2013.
He graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Marketing in 1977.
Professional career
Breunig was selected in the third round of the 1975 NFL Draft, as part of the Dallas Cowboys' Dirty Dozen draft. In 1976, he became a starter at outside linebacker, replacing the retired Dave Edwards.
In 1977, he replaced the retired Lee Roy Jordan as the team's middle linebacker, making him just the third player in franchise history to hold the position as a regular starter. From that position, he led the team in tackles six seasons, breaking the team's single-season tackling record in 1981.
Breuning started 117 straight games, until missing half of the 1984 season because of back problems that led to his retirement. He ended his career as the franchise's second-leading tackler, having played ten seasons, appearing in 21 playoff games, six NFC championships and three Super Bowls. He was an All-Pro four times and a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
He was named a member of the Dallas Cowboys 50-Year All-Time Team.
Personal life
After football he entered into a partnership with former teammate Roger Staubach, through the S.B.C. Development Corporation. He was named the Dallas Father of the Year in 2006.
He has been recognized for a number of other civic initiatives and has served on Several Charitable Boards through the years including Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Urban Alternative, Young Life, Search Ministries, Liberty Institute, Happy Hill Farm Children’s Home and Fellowship Bible Church Dallas (Elder).
References
External links
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