Texas Bowl

The Texas Bowl Committee honored past football greats from the State of Texas during the Houston Texans preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, August 31.

The 2009 Texas Bowl Gridiron Legends class includes Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Gabriel Rivera and Grant Teaff. Sammy Baugh will be honored posthumously.

After lettering in basketball, baseball, and football at TCU, Sammy Baugh was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1937. With a record-setting career as a quarterback, defensive back, and punter, Baugh was named to the inaugural class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963, the 1940s NFL All Decade Team, and the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. Baugh passed away on December 17, 2008.

After a successful career at Widener University, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson helped transform the 1970s Houston Oilers into the “Luv ya Blue” era. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection during his time with the Oilers and named to the 1980s NFL All Decade Team and the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.

A star player at San Antonio Jefferson High School and a consensus All American in 1982 for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Gabriel Rivera set a school single-season record with 105 tackles in 1982 and earned the nickname “Señor Sack.”

Currently serving as the Executive Director of the American Football Coaches Association, Grant Teaff coached Baylor University through its most successful college football era. Teaff was honored as the Southwest Conference Coach of the Year six times and named the Football writers Coach of the Year in 1974 while leading the Bears to two Southwest Conference titles and four bowl victories.