Gary Barbaro

Chiefs safety with 39 interceptions and a 102-yard record return.

Gary Wayne Barbaro (born February 11, 1954) is an American former professional football player who was a safety for seven seasons in the NFL from 1976 to 1982 and one season in the USFL in 1984. He played college football for the Nicholls Colonels and was selected in the third round of the 1976 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He had 39 career interceptions and was selected to participate in three Pro Bowls.

Quick Facts

Position: Safety
Born: 11 February 1954
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
High school: East Jefferson (Metairie, Louisiana)
College: Nicholls
Draft year: 1976
Draft round: 3
Draft pick: 74

Lore & Background

Barbaro played just one year of high school football at East Jefferson High School in Metarie, Louisiana, instead spending most of his high school years playing trombone in the marching and jazz band. In 1971, he was recruited to play college football at Nicholls State University, which had recently added football that year. Originally a quarterback, Barbaro switched to defensive back in his junior year. He was named All-Conference in 1975, helping Nicholls State to an 8–2 record and being selected to play in the Senior Bowl. He is a member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Reader's Guide

Barbaro was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 1976 NFL draft, becoming the first player in Nicholls State history ever to be selected in the NFL Draft. He replaced previous starter Mike Sensibaugh and was mentored by defensive backs coach Tom Bettis. In 1976, he was named second-team All-NFL rookie team and won the Mack Lee Hill Award. In 1977, he had eight interceptions and led the NFL in interception return yards with 165, including a 102-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks, which at the time broke an NFL record and is currently the Chiefs single-game record for longest interception return.

In 1979, he intercepted seven passes and was the first ever honoree of the Kansas City Chiefs Most Valuable Player award. In 1980, he finished second in the league in interceptions with 10 and was named second-team All-NFL by The Sporting News and second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press. In 1981, he had five interceptions for 134 yards and was named first team All-Pro by the Pro Football Writers Association. In November 1983, after sitting out the entire NFL season in a contract dispute, he signed with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL.

In his only USFL season (1984), he was named to The Sporting News USFL All-Star Team. He tore his ACL in his left knee earlier in the season, missed four games, and further injured the knee in a playoff loss to the Philadelphia Stars, ending his career. In seven NFL seasons, he intercepted 39 passes, currently the fourth highest total in Chiefs history, and his 771 career interception yards is second all-time behind Emmitt Thomas. He participated in every eligible game, 101 consecutive games in total.