Robert Juan Hoskins (September 16, 1945 – June 8, 1980) was an American football

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...

in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 16th round of the

1969 NFL Draft The 1969 National Football League draft was part of the common draft, the third and final year in which the NFL and American Football League (AFL) held a joint draft of college players. The draft took place January 28–29, 1969. The draft beg ...

. He played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

at Wichita State. Hoskins was born to a large family, having nine siblings. He attended high school in Evansville, lettering in football, baseball, and track. He received a scholarship to Wichita State, where he played for two years as a fullback and defensive end. He left the university due to family obligations before completing his eligibility. In 1969, he played minor league football for the Seattle Rangers of the

Continental Football League The Continental Football League (COFL) was a professional American football minor league that operated in North America from 1965 through 1969. It was established following the collapse of the original United Football League, and hoped to beco ...

(COFL), where he earned all-league honors as a defensive lineman. A tryout in the Canadian Football League (CFL) was unsuccessful, however in the spring of 1969, he was drafted by the 49ers. Hoskins suffered injuries and saw little playing time in his first two seasons. However, playing on special teams in the 1971 NFC divisional playoff against the Washington Redskins, he recovered a mis-snapped ball in the end zone, in what proved to be the winning touchdown. Hoskins started all 14 games the next four seasons. In 1974, in the midst of his career, Hoskins was diagnosed with

Hodgkin's Disease Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a type of lymphoma, in which cancer originates from a specific type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, where multinucleated Reed–Sternberg cells (RS cells) are present in the patient's lymph nodes. The condition wa ...

and underwent treatment. This included two surgeries followed by cobalt therapy. Nonetheless, he was able to remain a starter until his retirement at age 30 after the 1975 season. He died of a heart attack in 1980.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoskins, Bob 1945 births 1980 deaths American football defensive tackles Wichita State Shockers football players San Francisco 49ers players People from Highland, Illinois Sportspeople from Madison County, Illinois