Bobby Dillon

Bobby Dan Dillon (February 23, 1930 – August 22, 2019) was an American professional football player spent his entire eight-year career as a safety with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL).

He was an All-American playing college football with the Texas Longhorns.

Although he was a safety, he also returned kicks and played several games at halfback.

Dillon finished his college career with 13 interceptions on defense, one touchdown as a halfback, and multiple kick returns for touchdowns.

Bobby Dan Dillon was born on February 23, 1930, in Pendleton, Texas, one of five children of Clyde and Ruby (Pearl) Dillon.

His family moved to Temple, Texas, where he grew up and his father was employed as a police officer.

As a child, a series of eye injuries led to the removal of Dillon's left eye.

At the age of five or six, Dillon got a small piece of metal in his left eye, which caused a cataract to grow; Dillon had surgery to remove the cataract.

Then, when Dillon was nine years old, he was hit in the face with a board, causing damage to the white of his eye which ultimately led to the deterioration of his left eye and prevented his eye from dilating.

At the age of ten, Dillon had his left eye removed, and it was replaced with a glass eye.

Dillon said of his missing eye: "I don't remember seeing out of that eye, so maybe that has something to do with it. If it gives me any trouble, I'm not aware of it, because I've never known anything else."

According to one story, during a game in his professional career, Dillon's glass eye fell out onto the field.

As he picked it up, a referee joked to Dillon, "What would you do if you lost your other eye?"

Dillon responded, "I'd be a referee."

He attended Temple High School, where he played football from 1945 to 1947.

In his senior season, Dillon led Temple to a 6-2-1 record, losing in the 10AA district title game to the eventual state champions, Waco High School.

Dillon earned a football scholarship from the University of Texas at Austin.

In an interview, Dillon revealed that contingent upon receiving the scholarship from Texas, the university had required that Dillon's father sign a waiver, indicating that if Dillon suffered another eye injury while playing football, the family would not hold Texas responsible; Dillon's father signed the waiver.

At Texas, Dillon was an All-American safety, finishing his college career with 13 interceptions.

In the 1950 season alone, Dillon had 15 punt returns for 334 yards, including a game-winning 84-yard punt return for a touchdown against Baylor University.

At Texas, Dillon also participated in track and field as a sprinter.

Dillon was a member of two SWC-champion track and field teams while at Texas.

Dillon was a co-captain on the 1951 Southwest Conference (SWC)-champion Longhorns team which reached a ranking of no. 3 in the country before losing the 1951 Cotton Bowl to the Tennessee Volunteers.

He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the third round (28th pick) of the 1952 NFL draft.

After multiple accidents during his childhood, Dillon lost one of his eyes and played his entire career with a glass eye.

Despite his handicap, he became one of the most successful defensive backs of his era.

Dillon's 52 career interceptions are a Packers' franchise record.

He was a four-time Associated Press All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler.

Dillon was drafted out of Texas by the Green Bay Packers in the third round (28th pick) of the 1952 NFL draft.

Dillon intended to retire at the end of the 1958 season, but the Packers' new head coach, Vince Lombardi, convinced him to return for 1959.

After an injury halfway through the season, he lost his starting job and retired.

The 1959 season was the only year during Dillon's tenure that the Packers had a winning record.

In recognition of his football achievements, Dillon was elected to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1974 and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

After his football career, Dillon earned a bachelor's degree and worked for Wilsonart for 36 years, eventually becoming president and chief executive.

Dillon's 190 interception return yards was a Texas school record until 1995.

In addition to playing safety in college, Dillon also played several games at halfback and returned kicks.

In Dillon's college debut, against Texas Tech, he returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown and also scored a 20-yard rushing touchdown in the same game.

In his career at Texas, Dillon had 47 returns for 830 yards.

He died on August 22, 2019, at the age of 89, after complications from dementia.

Five months after his death, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the NFL's centennial class and inducted in August 2020.