Bobby Anderson

Short Biography

Robert Conrad Anderson (born October 11, 1947) is a former American college and professional football player who was a halfback in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the 1970s. Anderson played college football for the University of Colorado, and received All-American honors. He was picked in the first round of the 1970 NFL Draft, and played professional for the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins of the NFL. Anderson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.Early years Anderson was born in Midland, Michigan. He attended Boulder High School in Boulder, Colorado; and, following his senior season at Boulder he won the Gold Helmet award as being Colorado's top football player.College careerAnderson attended the University of Colorado, where he played for the Colorado Buffaloes football team from 1967 to 1969. He was the Buffaloes' dual-threat running quarterback during his sophomore and junior seasons, and led the team in both rushing and passing. The 1967 Buffaloes finished 9–2 and second in the Big Eight Conference, and Anderson scored twice as Colorado beat the Miami Hurricanes in the Bluebonnet Bowl. The 1968 Buffaloes finished 8–3, for third in the conference. When the 1969 Buffaloes faced injuries in the backfield, Anderson shifted to running back for the third game. The team finished third in the conference and went to the Liberty Bowl, where he rushed for a bowl record 254 yards and three touchdowns in a 47–33 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. Following his senior season, Anderson was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American.Anderson's older brother Dick played for Colorado as a defensive back from 1965 to 1967.Professional careerThe Denver Broncos selected Anderson in the first round (eleventh pick overall) of the 1970 NFL Draft, and he played for the Broncos from 1970 to 1973. He played a final NFL season in 1975, splitting the year between the New England Patriots and Washington Redskins. In five NFL seasons, Anderson played in fifty-three games, and rushed 313 times for 1, 282 yards and nine touchdowns. He also had eighty-four receptions for 861 yards and two touchdowns.Post-playing careerAnderson formerly served as a long-time broadcaster on the CU Football Network. Anderson also appeared in the 1977 Robbie Benson movie One on One as "Hitman King", as well as in the 1985 Kevin Costner bicycling film "American Flyers" as a reporter.Bobby AndersonPosition: Quarterback/Running BackSchool: ColoradoHigh School: Boulder, CO (Boulder HS)Years: 1967-1969Inducted: 2006Place of Birth: Midland, MIDate of Birth: Oct 11, 1947Jersey Number: 11Height: 6-0Weight: 208Member BiographyYounger brother of Hall of Fame safety Dick Anderson, Bobby Anderson was a local kid who made good. Raised in Boulder, he idolized Buffalo players as a child, went on to stardom at Boulder High School and then stayed in town to play at the University of Colorado. While Dick was staring in the Colorado defensive secondary, Bobby was in control of the Buff offense as the team�s quarterback as a sophomore and junior. Not a classic drop-back passer, Anderson was one of the game�s great running quarterbacks. In 1967 he led the team in both rushing and passing. He repeated the feat his junior season. That season he ran or passed the ball on 405 of the team�s 726 offensive snaps. The 1967 team went 9-2 and placed second in the Big Eight. Anderson scored two times as Colorado beat Miami in the Bluebonnet Bowl. With the team facing injuries in the backfield, Anderson was moved to running back for the third game of his 1969 senior season. The team rebounded from a loss the previous week to thrash Indiana. Colorado placed third in the conference and went to the Liberty Bowl where Anderson rushed for a bowl record 254 yards and three touchdowns in a victory over Alabama. That season he gained consensus All-America status. After CU, Anderson continued playing in Colorado, this time with the Denver Broncos. The first round draft pick played four years with Denver before completing his career with New England and Washington. He has continued to be a Buff fan as he is a long-time broadcaster on the CU Football Network.