Bobby Walston

Bobby Walston was a wide receiver and placekicker for the Philadelphia Eagles, playing in the NFL from 1951 through 1962. He made the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s NFL 1950s All-Decade Team. Walston played college football at Georgia, where he was a two-time second-team All-SEC selection, and the Eagles picked him in the 14th round of the 1951 draft. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1951, topped the NFL in scoring in 1954, and led the league in field goal percentage in 1957 and 1960.

Walston was part of the Eagles’ 1960 championship squad. When he retired, only Lou Groza had scored more points in NFL history. Walston still holds the Eagles’ single-game points record. In 2019, he was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame.

Hall of Fame writer Ray Didinger called Walston the most underrated player in Eagles history. Walston never missed a game in college or with the Eagles, playing in over 200 total preseason, regular-season, and playoff contests.

After his playing days, Walston spent two years as the Eagles’ player personnel director and head scout. In mid-1966, the expansion Miami Dolphins hired him to coach receivers and kickers for two seasons. In early 1968, he became the Chicago Bears’ player personnel director, and by mid-1971 he also served as assistant to Bears president George Halas Jr., a role essentially equivalent to general manager. When Jim Finks took over as general manager in 1974, Walston lost those positions and formally resigned in December 1974.

Walston was born on October 17, 1928, in Columbus, Ohio. He attended Linden-McKinley High School, where he played football as an All-State halfback. At the University of Georgia, he played halfback, wide receiver, safety, and kicker. As a freshman in 1947, he rushed for 35 yards on eight carries and caught three passes for 108 yards, two of them for touchdowns—a 50-yarder from Johnny Rauch against Clemson and a 30- to 32-yard score versus Oklahoma A&M. In 1948, he led the SEC with 25 receptions for 525 yards and four touchdowns, including scoring catches against Alabama, Furman, and Auburn.

Georgia won the SEC title that year, finished 9–2 and ranked No. 8 by the AP, but lost the Orange Bowl to Texas 41–28; Walston had multiple receptions and a touchdown in that game. He made the All-SEC sophomore team. As a junior in 1949, he caught 17 passes for 382 yards, ranking fifth in the SEC despite missing the last two games with a broken foot. The AP and United Press named him second-team All-SEC at end.

In 1950, he had 12 receptions for 168 yards and one touchdown, second on the team to Zippy Morocco, and the INS named him second-team All-SEC. Over his four-year Georgia career, he totaled 57 catches for 1,183 yards and 11 touchdowns, never missing a game. He was also a college light-heavyweight boxing champion and a Golden Gloves finalist. After the 1952 NFL season, he returned to Georgia to earn his degree and helped coach the Bulldogs’ spring practice.

The Eagles drafted Walston 166th overall in the 14th round of the 1951 draft. As a rookie, he started all 12 games, catching 31 passes for 512 yards and a team-leading eight touchdowns, tied for third in the NFL. He also kicked six of 11 field goals and 28 of 31 extra points, leading the Eagles with 94 points (fourth in the NFL). His best game came on October 21 against the Giants: six catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, plus a field goal and three extra points for 18 points.

He was named Rookie of the Year. In 1952, he started nine games, made 26 receptions for 469 yards and three touchdowns, kicked 11 field goals, and went a perfect 31-for-31 on extra points for 82 points (sixth in the NFL). In a late November game against the Browns, he caught four passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, including a 65-yarder from halfback Fred Enke, and added four extra points. Before the 1953 season, Walston had a contract dispute and received an offer from a Canadian team.

Eagles GM Vince McNally met him in Georgia to negotiate; during the talks, Walston mentioned his wife was crying because her pet chihuahua had died. McNally offered to include a chihuahua puppy in the deal, and Walston’s teammates thereafter nicknamed him accordingly.