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Randy Vataha

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Randy Vataha
No. 18
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1948-12-04) December 4, 1948 (age 75)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:176 lb (80 kg)
Career information
High school:Rancho Alamitos (Garden Grove, California)
College:Golden West JC
Stanford
NFL draft:1971 / round: 17 / pick: 418
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:188
Receiving yards:3,164
Receiving TDs:23
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Randel Edward Vataha, (born December 4, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Stanford Indians (now Cardinal). Vataha was selected in the 17th round of the 1971 NFL draft and spent the first six years of his NFL career with New England. He finished his career after a season with the Green Bay Packers.

Early life

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Born in Santa Monica, California, Vataha lettered in four sports at Rancho Alamitos High School in Garden Grove; he was a quarterback in football and graduated in 1967.[1]

College career

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Vataha made the transition to wide receiver at Golden West Junior College in Huntington Beach,[1] then transferred up the coast to Stanford of the Pacific-8 Conference in 1969 under head coach John Ralston and became one of quarterback Jim Plunkett's favorite receiving targets. As seniors in 1970, they connected on a 96-yard touchdown pass,[2][3][4] a Stanford record which stood until 1999 (by a 98-yard pass from Joe Borchard to Troy Walters).[5]

At the end of that season, Vataha scored the last touchdown in Stanford's 27–17 upset of #2 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, a ten-yard pass from Plunkett with eight minutes remaining;[6][7][8][9][10] both are members of the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. Plunkett won the Heisman Trophy and was the first pick of the 1971 NFL draft; Stanford climbed to eighth in the final AP poll with a 9–3 record.[11]

Vataha was nicknamed "Rabbit" for his moves on the field and worked one summer at Disneyland in costume as one of the Seven Dwarfs (Bashful).[12]

NFL career

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Vataha was selected in the 17th round of that NFL draft (418th overall) by the Los Angeles Rams. Released in training camp, he was signed as a free agent by the New England Patriots, where he was reunited with Plunkett. He was named to UPI's AFC all-rookie team in 1971 and played six seasons with the Patriots. Vataha caught 178 receptions for 3,055 yards. He also had 23 touchdown receptions while with the Patriots.[13] He was waived by the Patriots before the start of the 1977 season and signed with the Green Bay Packers.[14] He ended his career with the Green Bay Packers in 1977.[15]

Vataha, along with Stanley Morgan, was one of two wide receivers named to the New England Patriots 1970’s All-Decade Team.[16]

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Bold Career high
Year Team Games Receiving
GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
1971 NWE 14 13 51 872 17.1 88 9
1972 NWE 14 14 25 369 14.8 44 2
1973 NWE 14 4 20 341 17.1 48 2
1974 NWE 12 10 25 561 22.4 59 3
1975 NWE 14 14 46 720 15.7 47 6
1976 NWE 12 8 11 192 17.5 44 1
1977 GNB 6 3 10 109 10.9 20 0
86 66 188 3,164 16.8 88 23

After football

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After retiring from football, Vataha was a founding member of the United States Football League (USFL) in 1983, owning 50% of the Boston Breakers. He is now the president of Game Plan LLC, a company that specializes in the buying and selling of professional sports teams.[1][17][18]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Randy Vataha: President, Game Plan LLC" (PDF). (St. Louis, Missouri): Washington University in St. Louis. Olin Business School. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  2. ^ Missildine, Harry (October 18, 1970). "Passin' Jim Plunkett sets yardage mark, leads Stanford rout". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
  3. ^ Vogt, Tom (October 18, 1970). "Stanford bombs Cougars 63–13". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 13.
  4. ^ "Indians rout WSU, 63–16". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 18, 1970. p. 4B.
  5. ^ "Stanford Football History Individual Records" (PDF). Stanford Football Media Guide. 2006. p. 140. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 27, 2007. Retrieved March 7, 2007.
  6. ^ Turran, Kenneth (January 2, 1971). "Stanford jars Buckeyes, 27–17". Milwaukee Sentinel. (Washington Post). p. 1, part 2.
  7. ^ Sons, Ray (January 2, 1971). "Stanford upsets Ohio State in Rose Bowl, 27–17". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). (Chicago Daily News Service). p. 11.
  8. ^ "Stanford shakes up Buckeyes". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 2, 1971. p. 6.
  9. ^ "Stanford upsets Buckeyes, 27–17". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 2, 1971. p. 1B.
  10. ^ Jenkins, Dan (January 11, 1971). "The one-day season". Sports Illustrated. p. 10.
  11. ^ Thomas, Ben (January 5, 1971). "Nebraska wins the vote as nation's best college club". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 3B.
  12. ^ Reid, Ron (September 29, 1975). "Pats' Rabbit who turned tiger". Sports Illustrated. p. 56.
  13. ^ Hyldburg, Bob (2020). Relive Patriots History. Hyldburg Publishing. p. 383. ISBN 9780996992121.
  14. ^ "Heisman winners axed in final NFL cutdown". Chillicothe Gazette. September 15, 1977. p. 17. Retrieved October 18, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Kupper, Mike (September 23, 1977). "New Packer Vataha plays ball off the wall". Milwaukee Journal. p. 19.
  16. ^ "Patriots All-Decade Teams | The Patriots Hall of Fame". www.patriotshalloffame.com. April 20, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  17. ^ Wertheim, L. Jon (February 21, 2000). "Marriage broker Randy Vataha will help you buy a team or sell it". Sports Illustrated. (Scorecard). p. 30.
  18. ^ "Randy Vataha – Official New England Patriots Biography". New England Patriots website. Archived from the original on April 28, 2006. Retrieved March 19, 2007.
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