Layne, "Bobby" (Robert L.)
Football
b. Dec. 19, 1926, Santa Ana, TX
d. Dec. 1, 1986
Layne was the starting tailback at the University of Texas as a freshman in 1944. He served in the Merchant Marines and missed the first part of the 1945 season, but he returned to lead Texas to four straight victories, the Southwest Conference championship, and a 40-27 victory over Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.
After leading the conference in passing in 1946, Layne became a T formation quarterback in 1947 and was an All-American at the new position as Texas won 9 of 10 regular season games and beat Alabama 27-7 in the Cotton Bowl. During his college career, he completed 210 of 400 passes for 3,145 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also had a 39-7 record as a baseball pitcher.
Layne joined the Chicago Bears in 1948 and became a starter with the New York Bulldogs the following season. His finest years were spent with the Detroit Lions from 1950 through 1958. The Lions won three straight divisional titles, 1952 through 1954, and they were NFL champions in 1952 and 1953.
He scored one of Detroit's two touchdowns in a 17-7 championship win over the Cleveland Browns in 1952. The 1953 championship game showed Layne at his best. The Lions were losing to the Browns 16-10 when they took over at their own 20-yard line a final chance to win. Layne completed 4 of 6 passes, the last a 33-yard touchdown to Jim Doran, for a 17-16 victory.
Detroit lost 56-10 to the Browns in the 1954 championship game. Layne helped lead the Lions to another division title in 1957, but suffered a broken leg late in the season and was replaced by Tobin Rote, who quarterbacked Detroit to a 59-14 championship win over Cleveland.
Coach Buddy Parker had left the Lions for the Pittsburgh Steelers before the 1947 season. He traded for Layne in mid-season of 1958. Layne promised to take the Steelers to a championship, but he couldn't make good. He retired after the 1962 season.
A confident, fiery team leader, Layne wasn't a great passer but he seemed to be able to complete passes when he had to, and he was a master of the late, game-winning touchdown drive. Otto Graham once said of him, "He's not as good a pure passer as some, but he more than makes up for it. He's always been able to fire up a team."
Buddy Parker said of Layne, "We needed a leader before we were going to go anywhere. Bobby Layne is the greatest leader I've ever been associated with."