Paul Louis Staroba (born January 20, 1949) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and punter in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1968 to 1970. During the 1970 season, he caught 35 passes for 519 yards and led the Big Ten Conference, and finished fourth in the country, with a 41.5 yard punting average. He played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns in 1972 and the Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers in 1973.
 Staroba from 1971 Michiganensian | |||||||||
| No. 85 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver/punter | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | January 20, 1949 Flint, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 204 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | St. Matthew | ||||||||
| College: | Michigan | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1971 / round: 3 / pick: 66 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Early life
editStaroba grew up in Flint, Michigan, attended St. Matthew High School in Flint, and played high school football as a running back.[1]
University of Michigan
editStaroba enrolled at the University of Michigan and played for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1968 to 1970. He saw limited playing time as a sophomore and junior, catching 11 passes for 158 yards in 1968 and 12 passes for 141 yards in 1969. As a senior, Staroba became a starter and caught 35 passes for 519 yards.[2] He had the best game of his career on October 31, 1970, in a 29-15 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers. He caught six passes from Don Moorhead for a total of 178 receiving yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion.[3] Staroba also served as Michigan's punter, punted for 2,240 yards in 1970 (including 401 yards against Arizona), and led the Big Ten, and finished fourth in the country, with a 41.5 yard average in 1970.[1][4]
Professional football
editStaroba was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (66th overall pick) of the 1971 NFL draft.[5] He spent the 1971 NFL season on the "cab squad" and appeared in eight games, one as a starter, for the Browns during the 1972 NFL season.[5] Staroba had a 19-yard reception for the game-winning touchdown against the Denver Broncos.[6]
In June 1973, the Browns traded Staroba to the Washington Redskins in exchange for an undisclosed future draft choice.[4] He caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Sonny Jurgenson in an exhibition game against the Broncos,[7] but he was released by the Redskins in early September 1973.[8] He was signed by the Green Bay Packers in early December 1973,[9] appeared in two games, and made one catch for a 23-yard gain.[5] Staroba also had 12 punts for an average of 31.1 yards for the Packers.[10]
In July 1974, Staroba was one of players arrested for picketing a scrimmage between Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears replacement players during the 1974 NFL strike despite a restraining order obtained by the Packers to keep them at a distance from Lambeau Field.[11]
Post-football life
editAfter retiring from football, Staroba worked for an Anheuser-Busch dealership in Flint, Michigan. Staroba and his wife, Wendy, were married in approximately 1974, settled in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and had five daughters.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Jim Cnockaert (2004). University of Michigan: Where Have You Gone?. Sports Publishing LLC. pp. 168–171. ISBN 1582617716.
- ^ "Michigan Football Statistical Archive". University of Michigan. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ "Wolverines Turn Back Upset-Minded Badgers". November 2, 1970. p. 17.
- ^ a b "Browns trade Paul Staroba". The Bryan Times. June 7, 1973. p. 8.
- ^ a b c "Paul Staroba". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ "Cleveland Trims Broncos, 27-20". The Spartanburg Herald. October 30, 1972.
- ^ Lee Byrd (August 9, 1973). "Grant and Staroba Star In Redskins' Victory but Only Make Special Teams". The Gettybsurg Times.
- ^ "Kiner, Miller, Staroba waived by the Redskins". The Free Lance-Star. September 11, 1973. p. 5.
- ^ "Packers Add End Staroba". Milwaukee Sentinel. December 5, 1973. p. 2-2.
- ^ "Paul Staroba". NFL.com. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ "Devine Had 'No Idea' of Court Order; Devine Had 'No Idea' of Court Order". The New York Times. July 27, 1974.