Longhorns Wire is continuing the series of jersey numbers to match the days until Texas kicks off the season. On Monday, we find ourselves remembering No. 60. No current Longhorn can wear this number since it has been retired by the University of Texas.
Related: Top 10 athletes in Texas Longhorns history
Tommy Nobis, Guard/Linebacker (1963-65)
Of the football players to have their jersey retired by the Longhorns, only Tommy Nobis did so on the defensive side of the ball. He was a two-way player but his impact on defense is what got him noticed by the NFL. Nobis’ first season came in 1963 when the Texas Longhorns marched all the way to the Cotton Bowl and took down the number two ranked Navy Midshipmen. Roger Staubach was the quarterback that day.
Texas won 28-6 and claimed their first National Championship under Darrell K. Royal. Royal once said that Nobis was the finest two-way players he had ever seen. He was named All-Southwest Conference in his first season as a starter. He would earn the same honor in his junior season as well as being named Consensus All-American. In the Orange Bowl, Nobis and tackle Frank Bedrick teamed up to stop Crimson Tide quarterback Joe Namath for a goal line stand. The Longhorns finished the season 10-1 and ranked 5th in the nation.
In 1965 after starting 4-0 in which they shutout both Tulane and Oklahoma, the wheels fell off for the Longhorns. They lost four of their final six games to finish 6-4. Nobis would be named All-SWC for the third time and Consensus All-American. They defeated the Aggies 21-17 in Nobis’ final game in burnt orange.
Following the 1965 season, Nobis would be awarded the Outland Trophy, Maxwell Trophy and the Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy. He would eventually be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Nobis would be selected number one overall by the expansion Atlanta Falcons in the 1966 NFL Draft. He would also be selected 5th overall by the Houston Oilers in the 1966 AFL Draft. Nobis chose to head to Atlanta. Nobis would go on to earn Pro Bowl Honors and named NFL Rookie of the Year in 1966.
He would play in the NFL for 11-years before retiring from the game in 1976. He is a member of the Georgia Hall of Fame, Atlanta Ring of Honor and part of the 1960’s All-Decade Team. His number 60 is retired by the Falcons. He arguably deserves to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Accomplishments:
- Three-time All-Southwest Conference
- Two-time All-American
- Team MVP in 1964 and 1965
- Co-captain in 1965
- 1965 Outland Trophy Winner
- Finished 7th in 1965 Heisman Trophy voting
- UT’s very first number one overall selection in the NFL Draft
- First ever draft selection by the Atlanta Falcons
- 1966 NFL Rookie of the Year
- Five-time NFL Pro Bowl selection
- 1967 NFL first-team All-Pro
- 1968 NFL second-team All-Pro
- Georgia Hall of Fame
- Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor
- Nicknamed “Mr. Falcon”
- Number 60 jersey retired by Texas and Atlanta
- 1981 College Football Hall of Fame inductee
- 1976 Texas Hall of Honor inductee
- Holds Atlanta Falcons record for 294 combined tackles in his rookie season (unofficial record)