Former Falcons, Vikings, Rams quarterback dies
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Bob Lee, who played 12 seasons in the NFL as a quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, and Minnesota Vikings, died Aug. 17. He was 81.
Lee was born Aug. 7, 1945, in Columbus, Ohio, and was raised in San Francisco, where he attended Lowell High School. He began his college career at Arizona State before transferring to City College of San Francisco.
Lee finished his college career with the Tigers, playing quarterback and serving as a kicker in 1966 and 1967. As a senior, he was named the team’s most valuable player and set a Pacific record with a 51-yard field goal.
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The Minnesota Vikings selected Lee in the 17th round of the 1968 NFL draft, 441st overall. He joined Minnesota in 1969 and was part of the team that lost Super Bowl IV. Lee spent four seasons with the Vikings before being traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 1973.
That became the defining season of Lee’s NFL career. He replaced Dick Shiner as Atlanta’s starting quarterback and went 8-2 as a starter, passing for 1,786 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Falcons finished 9-5, at the time the best record in franchise history.
The 1974 season was far different. Lee threw three touchdown passes and 14 interceptions as Atlanta went 3-11. He returned to Minnesota in 1975 and remained there through 1978, including a 1977 playoff run in which he replaced an injured Fran Tarkenton and started the NFC Championship Game.
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Lee finished his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams and retired after the 1980 season. He played 77 regular-season games, making 30 starts, and passing for 5,034 yards.
Lee also served as the Vikings’ punter in 1969 and 1971, leading the NFL in punting yards (3,515) the latter season. He totaled 156 punts across the two seasons.
An alumnus of the University of the Pacific, Lee returned to his alma mater as its athletics director from 1991-96.
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