Tommy Nobis

Considered one of the greatest linebackers to ever play football, Tommy Nobis began his career at San Antonio’s Jefferson High School where he won acclaim as one of the top players in the state. At the University of Texas, Nobis helped lead the 1963 Longhorns to a National Championship, a perfect 11-0 record and a Cotton Bowl win over Navy. A two-way star for Texas, he was an All-America selection in both 1964 and 1965 and was the 1965 recipient of the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the country and the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top player. ​

Nobis averaged over 20 tackles a game in his 1965 senior session and Sports Illustrated Magazine named him the best defender in college football. He was selected to the magazine’s All-Century Team in 1969 and was inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1981. ​

Nobis joined the professional ranks in 1966 when the Atlanta Falcons made him the National Football League’s top draft pick and he received the Bert Bell Award as the league’s Rookie of the Year. He was chosen for the NFL Pro Bowl five times, led the Falcons in tackles in nine of his 11 seasons and was selected to the NFL’s All-1960’s team. He is a member of the State of Texas All-Time Professional Football Team and has been inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of both Texas and Georgia.