The Book of Roman: The NFL's First Gunslinger

With one of the strongest arms of the era, and an unwillingness to be tackled, Roman Gabriel brought a relentless toughness to the quarterback position in the ‘60s and ‘70s. This is the story of his career.
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[@82dorrin]

Rest in Peace, Roman Gabriel.

[@tombaranowski8237]

R I P Roman. You were my idol when I was a kid.

[@PappyNet01]

I loved watching Roman Gabriel play when I was a kid! I love his response, "I am in the Little River Life-quest Hall of Fame, they put my picturesup on the wall"!

[@tylermcduffie2548]

Roman should be in the HOF

[@larryaldama1673]

Yes 👍

[@johnthecrouton]

Absolutely !!

[@fredbobberts5753]

I was honestly surprised he wasn’t

[@calebmolina1143]

We appreciate you, Roman Gabriel! Once a Ram, always a Ram!

[@markwatson8051]

RIP BIG MAN. YOU WERE A TOUGH LEADER OF TOUGH MEN

[@mrlaw711]

Not only was Gabe underrated, he is the all time TD leader for a team that led the change to the passing game. As a teammate, and a spokesmen for the NFL off the field - there are none better. He was the "gentile giant," the "teddy bear," and on game day he was ready to take on any linebacker...Butkus, Nitschke - bring them on. The Rams games with the 49ers are still thrilling to watch matching Gabe with John Brodie. Reach into the clouds if you want to meet Roman someday. RIP.

[@Paul11B2P]

Roman belongs in the hall of fame!!!!!!

[@franciskush1089]

I'm from Pittsburgh and when I was a kid I was a Roman Gabriel/Rams fan (this right was before the Steelers became great). The Rams finally came to Pittsburgh the last game of 1971 and nobody I knew wanted to go with me - I was a freshman in high school. I sat by myself in the end zone peanut heaven seats in Three Rivers Stadium and froze my butt off but but loved every minute - the Rams won and Roman had a real good game. I have a Rams helmet from that era from ebay (blue helmet and thick white horns), they should go back to those uniforms for sure!!

[@jeffwatts1126]

I remember that game well.......I dont remember who, but there was a team that had to lose, with the Rams having to win Vs the Steelers, to make the playoffs. The Rams won but so did the other team, so we didnt make the playoffs. I was crushed. But I also remember that game because our RB, Willie Ellison, went over 1000 yards in that game, which back then was a big time accomplishment. It was just a few weeks previous that I went to a game vs the Saints where he rushed for 241 yards, a record that was broken a cpl years later by OJ Simpson

[@oldiesgeek454]

@jeffwatts. The 49ers were the other team that had to lose their final game of the season. But, they won and the Rams finished in second place 1/2 game behind SF. The reason it was only a half a game, is because the Rams had one game that ended in a tie. There was no overtime in '71. I was at the game in 1971, when Willie Ellison broke the record for most rushing yards in one game.

[@Aldo-zp8wk]

I grew up watching and loving him as our Quarterback. I meet him and a couple of other Rams at Occidental College way back in the day. I was 9 years old what a great day. Thx Dad for introducing me to the Rams.

[@toastnjam7384]

I was a big Roman Gabriel fan. Started to follow sports in 1967 as a 16-yer old and the Rams were my #1 team. and what a year 1967 was. 11-1-2 in a neck and neck season long race for the Division title with the Colts.

[@michaelangileo2760]

I attended Roman Gabriel's football camp as a boy. He is one of the finest human beings I have ever met. A gentleman, classy, huge heart and a true champion. God bless you, Roman -- and thank you !!!

[@1perfectstrangerr]

The best name ever for a QB....

[@jeffwatts1126]

My first football hero. But IDK.......I feel like the greatest name for a QB is Chuck Long

[@troynov1965]

RIP Roman......Godspeed

[@RGL01]

Roman was a class act.

[@deborahreinke7665]

Mr. Gabriel, You are a legend to me & my husband! My husband met you as a young child playing Pop Warner football 🏈 for the Sun Valley Falcons. We were born & raised Ram fans! Great video! Be safe. Be well. Love you, man!! 💃🏻

[@jerryferko8309]

watched the video again ....whar a terrific guy .........humility personified ........

[@mikeromero8598]

I remember growing up watching him on TV. Great memories of him Jack Snow, Tom Mack,Merlin Olsen,Deacon Jones and Coach George Allen. 😊🏈

[@manny4552]

Great players

[@johnmiller2138]

Oh how I remember Roman Gabriel. When he won 1969 MVP I was very young but I remember his Burger King commercial and have loved watching The Undefeated different times with Gabriel and John Wayne. My brothers and I had a scrapbook of the Rams and then one of just Gabriel. We also had a poster of Gabriel hanging up on our room and a 500 piece puzzle we put together of Gabriel. We had an electric football game with Ram players and Gabriel was always our quarterback when we played with our electric football game. These are such great memories to think about as I write this. Thanks for putting this video on KZbin to honor the life of a truly great quarterback in my childhood Roman Gabriel 1969 Player of the Year. We had his book as well.

[@stevenjohnson8507]

In '72, I became an NFL fan; the Rams were my favorite team, and Roman was my first favorite quarterback. I believed then, and still believe, that the Rams had the coolest-looking helmets. Fun note. 1972 was also my first year playing tackle football. I was a defensive tackle but insisted on having a single bar for my face mask so I could be just like Roman. Luckily, I escaped with my face still for the '73 campaign.

[@2001rams]

In 1967 (at 11) I was not exposed much to the NFL yet. One Sunday, I believe it was against Green Bay, I was watching TV and saw this big, strong armed quarterback playing. I remember seeing the way he passed the ball (unlike any others) and see him run and it would take about 3 guys to bring him down. I was also amazed by the horns on those helmets. From that moment on I was totally hooked on Roman Gabriel and the Los Angels Rams. Unfortunately coming from South Dakota, I rarely got to see the Rams play. We got a color TV in 1971 and was so excited to finally see the Rams play in color. I was devastated when the Rams lost in the 1969 playoffs but was very glad Roman was MVP. I was stunned again in 1973 when both Roman was traded to the Eagles and the blue and white uniforms were gone (specifically the white horns on the helmet). I have remained a hard core Rams fan all these years and greatly supported Roman the years he was with the Eagles. I am glad you are doing well. You are my favorite NFL player of all time (and that is saying a lot considering all the greats the past 50-60 years. Before the Rams totally ruined their uniforms for the 2020 season, I got to see them play the past several years back in LA wearing the blue and white helmets again making me especially happy taking me back in time to he 67-72 years with those great memories. Roman you are the greatest and always will be! Thanks for all you did for the Rams and all the great memories.

[@tombaranowski8237]

Like you I was crushed when the Rams lost to the Vikings in the playoffs that year (they also broke the Rams 11 game winning streak that year.😤). Hated the Vikings with a passion after that and was thrilled the Chiefs dismantled them in the Superbowl.

[@2001rams]

@@tombaranowski8237 Saddened with the loss of Roman Gabriel on April 20, my favorite Ram of all time, in my favorite Ram uniform of all time (blue and white with white Ram horns.

[@floydsouza890]

That was also the first game I saw the Rams play and I loved those helmets. He hit Snow in the end zone for a score.that made me a Ram fan for life.

[@Semprefi]

Roman Gabriel was one of my favorite players when I first started watching football and collecting bubble gum cards. It was 1970 and I was 8. He was one of around 10 players on an NFL footlocker I got that year from Sears Roebuck. I remember looking at that thing a lot . It was white with each players picture on it. There was Roman Gabriel, Lenny Dawson, Otis Taylor and a few other star players. He was great in the Unforgiven.

[@mikemccormick8115]

I had a poster of Roman, Deacon, and Merlin on my wall as a kid. Compare the class and humility of yesterday’s pro athletes to today’s cocky ones. No comparison at all.

[@manny4552]

Yes indeed

[@Tom-ok2rh]

Growing up my two favorite quarterbacks were Roman Gabriel and Bert Jones. Glad to see that Roman is enjoying his life as a retired football player. Many do not

[@quincee3376]

We share the same birthday. He was a great QB ..Him and Brodie don't get enough love .

[@manny4552]

Yeah both should be in the hall along with John hadl

[@tfp0052]

I liked Roman back in the day! Damn, why do we have to get old?

[@jamesspalten5977]

You don't have to get old. Age is something that is denied to many. My college roommate and great friend never made it to 50. RIP Hawk!

[@johnmoyer5515]

Your never too old till you die

[@tweetybird2444]

I'll be damn Roman Gabriel living in N. Myrtle Beach, I think he's originally from Wilmington,N.C. Here I am a Native of Myrtle Beach, S.C. and had no idea...Yes he was a helluva Quarterback..How many of u true Ram Fans remember us picking up Namath, that was a damn trip.. Anyway get ready were gonna be better this year than alot of people think..Coach is very Smart, just watch....

[@jeffwatts1126]

Did you write this just before the Super Bowl season? If you did, then this comment aged beautifully

[@jackjensen3948]

MY boyhood hero at 10 years old in 1968. I met him once when He later worked with the Charlotte Knights baseball team. I told him I liked him because he ran over defensive players. I have a autographed picture of him hanging on my wall. My brother had a contact that knew Roman and that's how I got the picture. I agree he should be in the Hall Of Fame.

[@dbcooper692]

Roman was married to a friend of mines sister Tedra Bidwell. Tedra and her brother Mark and I all grew up together in Redondo Beach CA. I never met Roman but always wanted to. Thanks for the memories, Roman. George Allen lived not too far away from us in Palos Verdes CA. I played high school football when Roman was at his peak with the Rams.

[@stephenyardley4880]

CLASS ACT ❤ PS - One of the best names ever in Sports.

[@maxpuppy96]

He was tough, like all of the QB's back then, Kilmer, Kapp and Jergeson to name a few.

[@larryaldama1673]

👍🇺🇸

[@manny4552]

Yes

[@belkisb.4779]

Thank You BlueBoy !

[@rayalvarado5092]

Roman Gabriel is still my all time favorite Ram quarterback. I loved watching him play against the Vikings with Joe Kapp. I still have his signed photograph the Rams mailed me when I was 10yrs old. He should be in the NFL Hall of Fame and the Rams should retire his number 18 jersey.

[@samk4801]

Wow. I was a Baltimore Colts fan (I'm old) and I remember Roman dropping back to pass, then being swarmed by 2 or 3 guys that'd be hanging onto him, and he STILL got the passes off. Not just once, but consistently. (Funny...I remember that but I can't remember what I had today for breakfast.) 😀

[@jeffwatts1126]

I was a Ram. I had a poster on my wall as a kid of Merlin Olson sacking Johnny U. Back then we were in the same division as the Colts, and it was war. In those days the two teams had a better rivalry than the Rams and 49ers

[@samk4801]

@@jeffwatts1126 Cool story. (Of course, it hurts that it was Johnny U. But then again, if it had to be anybody...might as well have been Merlin Olson.) 😀

[@4736dmr]

He & Rothlisberger, are the only QB's that come to mind, that can get swarmed over, and still get passes off. Not too many others

[@samk4801]

@@4736dmr Facts.

[@karch139]

Loved watching him play.

[@Olliemets]

Rest easy #18. Although I grew up in NY, Rams were on TV at 4P a lot when I was a kid. My first football hero. Thanks for the thrills. I see a lot of Roman in Josh Allen and Jim Kelly before him. Thanks Roman

[@OBESPRING1982]

OMG! When I was watching Gabe in the gym, I thought about the BK commercial. Five (?) minutes later, there it is!

[@Roboworm99]

One of my all time favorites

[@borisbaddernoff7285]

Humility.

[@r.williamcomm7693]

Think about how many passes Roman completed while concussed. He was tough as nails.

[@oldiesgeek454]

The shot of him laying on the ground, was from a game against the Bears in 1968. He was replaced for a few series, but then returned for the rest of the game.

[@Barbariandisks]

My childhood favorite qb, i was disappointed with the uniform change, the rams gave me hope of his era uniforms returning, and LA dropped the ball with the new uniforms

[@merkury06]

Roma Gabriel was just before my time. But I knew he was a legend. Thanks for posting this.

[@tomcooper5188]

I remember seeing Roman Gabriel play a game in the old Riddick Stadium on campus of N. C. State. My dad, Fred Cooper who had attended N.C. State on a basketball scholarship in 1940 and played that year with Bones McKinney, drove us to Raleigh from Roanoke Rapids so I could see Roman play. I remember Roman running over a good number of defensive players that day and throwing some beautiful passes as well. What a great athlete!

[@mreppen1]

What a man. RIP.

[@beerbellyjoker7532]

OG Rams unis are their best look

[@oldiesgeek454]

Actually, they wore blue and yellow unis, and blue helmets with yellow horns from 1946-1963. It was in 1964 when they switched to blue and white, and dropped the yellow altogether. Then in '73, they decided to go back to blue and yellow again. I wish they had stuck with the blue and whites myself. 😊

[@beerbellyjoker7532]

@@oldiesgeek454 Thanks for the info! Wasn't aware of their previous colors. Either one would be better than the current design.

[@Tom-uh9kk]

Why is this man not in the HOF, My second favorite Ram, "Jack Youngblood" he is the reason the Rams became my favorite team, get it right NFL, honor him L.A.Rams

[@bill2953]

Esppecially with - Wait how many NFC championship appearances and titles did he spearhead? Huh, zero? My mistake.

[@Godshock777]

He was pretty average. Lifetime QB rating of 74.3 all pro QBs of that era had QB ratings in the 90s... He also threw alot of picks. Great arm though. Could throw it a country mile.

[@Tom-uh9kk]

@@Godshock777 different era, there are QBs from his era with worse numbers that are in

[@Cary-i7p]

I'm not filipino but knew he was. Sadly lots of Filipinos have never heard of him! Puzzling.

[@Drew914]

I definitely did. Even though he had already retired, I thought it was awesome that there was a Filipno- American QB in the NFL.

[@misfit8308]

For my 8th birthday, my parents took me to the mall and said I could pick out my own present. I went straight to the sporting goods store (Hermanns), and headed for the football helmets. There it was, in all it's glory, the blue and white Rams helmet. I live in NJ, so it was not a sure thing by any means. In those days, the helmets all came with a standard two bar facemask. When I got it home, I went into the basement, took a hacksaw and sawed off the top bar. My parents were not pleased...but I knew what I was doing.

[@barbaracaroll]

That's a lovely story hun ❤

[@jerryferko8309]

really so very cool reading the commernts below ........ really loved the rams back then ........... bass , arnett , snow , scibelli , carollo , mack ......... that defense ..... so very cool......... thanks for this video ......

[@romulayanuaria9556]

Roman Gabriel was the main reason I became Filipino. RIP.

[@L33TH4XM8]

😂 RIP to a legend tho fr

[@dcgravity7822]

Huh?

[@iramiyahira8301]

Was my fave QB. LONG AGO!!!😃😄😁❤❤🤙🙏🙏

[@stever1791]

Roman was a Great one - Rip my QB

[@Ariesmount]

Beautiful tribute. Thank you!

[@michaelgawel5823]

Back when it was a game!

[@oldiesgeek454]

And tickets were affordable.

[@scharnhorst8316]

Roman Gabriel + '60's & 70's NFL - All of you youngsters out there missed the best football of all time.

[@Crangeee]

Ahhh yes

[@LetReasonPrevail1]

My god, the NFL used to be so noble, so primal, and so authentic. Today it’s just pathetic.

[@1223jamez]

Amen!

[@richardmorris6365]

I only watch my hometown team Tampa anymore. It's one thing me & my 93 yr old mother enjoy together.

[@ricktatro7982]

Yep you was the quarterback i played as a kid

[@catgolfer1]

First QB I ever saw throw the ball 70 yards in the air at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco.🐈

[@OBESPRING1982]

At 9:05, it looks like Jack Snow is cut off. He is to the left of Mr. Cowan. The split end, if you will.

[@brianarbenz1329]

I was wondering if that Burger King ad was going to be in this.

[@TheGuerillapatriot]

RIP

[@ItDontComeEasy]

Does anyone remember those NFL Sticker Books in the 70's where you collected stickers of all your teams, I think from Marathon Gas Stations, or something like that.🤔

[@kenjohnson2650]

It was Sunoco by me I think. Have a complete book still somewhere in the basement.

[@ItDontComeEasy]

@@kenjohnson2650 !!!"Yes, It Was A Sunoco"!!! Well Done kenjohnson. Every kid (parents) got those stickers from around where I lived. Several of us filled the books, mine is long gone. Glad you still got yours👍.

[@mjg3272]

I remember! Loved filling in the individual player stickers for each team. It also included basic info on each team, their stadium, etc.

[@J5858Jack]

RIP Roman

[@Eagle8]

RIP!

[@glowaves]

There's really something weird going on with why RG is not in the HOF. I've often wondered what the basis for the discrimination is....

[@oldiesgeek454]

Maybe because he didn't win a Super Bowl. That's the only reason I can come up with. 😊

[@markmcarthy596]

He was my first sport’s superhero. Had the blue and white entire field dress. Made me run faster and jump higher

[@edwardyoung522]

Lesser players have been inducted into the HOF. Of course, Roman should be there, if for no other reason than being the first Filipino to be named an NFL MVP.

[@Mr.56Goldtop]

The Canton HoF doesn't mean as much as the fans HoF. And he certainly is a member of that.

[@josephpetrilli5419]

Why isnt he in the HOF?

[@irock4u222]

r.i.p he also played a headhunter on gilligans island

[@JMontyGO]

#18 needs to be retired by the Rams.

[@Ripr620]

Why is HOF so jacked up ?

[@therealrobinbullock]

Is it true Gabriel named his kid Ram Allen before he joined the Rams and before his coach was George Allen?

[@jwagvideos]

Great QB, but unfortunately, that's not a picture of him. Forshame, LA Rams....

[@Ripr620]

Had Gabe gone with Raiders…..HOF

[@jerryferko8309]

and their uneees were the best ........rams uneees today .........ugh .......

[@oldiesgeek454]

Yes, they should've never changed the classic horns... What a mistake that was. 🙄

[@patrickfallon6192]

Photo of third string QB …odd

[@bill2953]

Now I get it.. The Rams are going with the worst logo in team history whether we like it or not. If and when they ever contend again, maybe we get past it, maybe we don't.

[@oldiesgeek454]

True, I can't understand why they changed the classic horns.

[@barryweston4887]

Not the first by a long shot.

[@BobFredrickson-x3x]

My first football game ever watched Gabriel and Rams in blue/white uniforms and horn helmets the greatest uniforms and I been Rams fan for 60yrs, Gabriel best 1969 season Rams lost Heartbreaker to Vikings 23 -20 could have face Chiefs in superbowl which they would have beaten them, Gabe face tough teams Starr/Packers,Unitas/Colts, Kapp/Vikings,Brodie/49ers, Cowboys,Browns, LA Rams need to retire his number and start a Ring of honor at sofi

[@oldiesgeek454]

I was 9 when they lost that playoff game against Minnesota. I still remember the depressed feeling I had afterwards.