Roman Gabriel, the record-holder for most touchdown passes in Los Angeles Rams history with 154, passed away on Saturday at the age of 83 at his residence in Little River, South Carolina. His son, Roman Gabriel III, confirmed that his father’s death was due to natural causes.
Gabriel, selected as the No. 2 draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 1962 from North Carolina State, made history as the NFL’s first Filipino-American quarterback and earned the league MVP title in 1969. He participated in four Pro Bowl games, three with the Rams in the late 1960s and one with the Eagles in 1973. Despite his accomplishments, his Rams team only made it to the postseason twice, exiting in the first round both times.
The Rams, via X, formerly Twitter, expressed their condolences, acknowledging Gabriel’s status as a football pioneer and legend.
Gabriel earned recognition as a two-time player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference while playing for North Carolina State and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
During his 11-year tenure with the Rams and five-year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, Gabriel amassed numerous achievements, including leading the Rams to two division titles from 1967 to 1970 and being named MVP in 1969. Following his trade to the Eagles in 1973, Gabriel was honored as the NFL comeback player of the year after leading the league in touchdown passes and passing yards.
Post-retirement, Gabriel ventured into broadcasting, briefly joining CBS to cover NFL games. He later transitioned into coaching, serving at various institutions and teams such as Cal Poly Pomona, the Boston Breakers of the USFL, and Raleigh-Durham in the World League of American Football.
Additionally, Gabriel pursued an acting career, appearing in films like “Skidoo” (1968) and “The Undefeated” (1969), as well as TV shows such as “Gilligan’s Island,” “Perry Mason,” “Ironside,” and “Wonder Woman.” He also participated in a USO tour of Vietnam alongside Bob Hope.