Larry Stephens (American football)

Lawrence Clifton Stephens (September 24, 1938 – March 28, 1998) was an

Early years

Stephens was a 1956 graduate of

He was a key contributor to the Longhorn's successes in the late 1950s which included an SWC Championship and appearances in both the Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl Classic. In his senior year he was named to the All-Southwest Conference team. He also pitched for the Texas Longhorns baseball team.

Professional career

Cleveland Browns

Stephens was selected by the

On July 11, 1962, he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams along with a third round pick (#37-John Baker) and sixth round pick (#79-Terry Monaghan), in exchange for quarterback Frank Ryan and running back Tommy Wilson.^[2]

Los Angeles Rams

In

While he was with the Cowboys, the team made the transition from mediocrity to championship contention. He also played in the 1967 NFL Championship Game (commonly known as the Ice Bowl).

He was selected by the

Stephens married Jane (Olson) Stephens and had 5 children: Mark, Susan, Jeff, Shannon, and Walter. He taught American History and coached football at Magnolia Junior High School in Magnolia, Texas in the 1980s. He worked as a special education teacher for the Lockhart Independent School District in Lockhart, Texas during the 1990s. He was an active supporter of Special Olympics.

The Pete Logan character in the 2008 film The Express: The Ernie Davis Story was based on him. He died on March 28, 1998.

References