Former Iowa Punter Reggie Roby Dies

Feb. 22, 2005

Reggie Roby, an all-American punter at the University of Iowa and a 16-year veteran of the National Football League, passed away Tuesday at his home in Nashville, TN. Roby was found unconscious and without a pulse at his home by his wife, Melissa. He was later pronounced dead at Saint Thomas Emergency Department.

Roby, a native of Waterloo, IA, was Marketing & Development director for Backfield in Motion, a non-profit organization that combines athletics and academics to inspire inner-city boys to reach their maximum potential and become significant contributors to society.

“We are all saddened by the death of Reggie Roby and offer our condolences to his wife, Melissa, and his family. Reggie was well liked and respected by his coaches and teammates as a student-athlete at Iowa and during his lengthy professional career. He was a great ambassador for Hawkeye football and the University of Iowa.”
UI Director of Athletics
Bob Bowlsby

“Reggie Roby was a WINNER!” said former Iowa Hawkeye Coach Hayden Fry. “He was a tremendous athlete and a wonderful person. His Hawkeye teammates and coaches are so sad to learn of his death. His family has our deepest sympathy.”

Roby was a member of the first recruiting class of Coach Fry. He led the nation in punting in his final two seasons, setting an NCAA record in 1981 with an average of 49.8 yards per kick. That mark is still an NCAA record for a player with a minimum of 40 punts. He remains Iowa’s record holder for punting average in a game (55.8), season (49.8) and career (45.4).

Roby earned first team all-America recognition in both 1981 and 1982 and he earned honorable mention honors in 1979. Roby was used to kickoff and also handled PAT and field goal duties during his career. An all-around athlete, Roby was an Iowa baseball letterman as a freshman.

As a prep at East HS, he earned all-state honors as a punter and tight end and. He also earned all-conference and all-state honors in baseball and was a three-year basketball letterman.

Roby was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft. Roby played for the Dolphins for 10 seasons. He also spent time with the Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers before retiring in 2002.

“We are all saddened by the death of Reggie Roby and offer our condolences to his wife, Melissa, and his family,” said Bob Bowlsby, Director of Athletics at the University of Iowa. “Reggie was well liked and respected by his coaches and teammates as a student-athlete at Iowa and during his lengthy professional career. He was a great ambassador for Hawkeye football and the University of Iowa.”