Bob Wicks

Robert Blaine Wicks (born July 24, 1950) is an American former professional football player. He played college football for the Utah State Aggies and was selected in the eighth round of the 1972 National Football League (NFL) draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He played in the NFL as a wide receiver for two seasons, appearing for the Cardinals, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.

Early life Wicks was born on July 24, 1950, in Pasadena, California. He grew up competing in football, baseball, basketball, and track and field. Starting in fourth grade and continuing through college, he was often teammates with quarterback John Strycula, who lived nearby. He was the first Royal Oak alumnus to play in the NFL. He was All-Hacienda League as a junior and as a senior in 1967, he was named first-team all-league at both end and safety. College career With the freshman team in 1968 at Utah State, Wicks played "anything and anywhere". In addition to playing defensive back and as a backup tailback, he was also used as a return specialist, recording a 70-yard punt return touchdown against Snow College. He caught 47 passes for 642 yards and had 16 punt returns for 279 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 17.4 yards per return. He scored a total of 10 touchdowns at Utah State and was invited to the Senior Bowl at the conclusion of his collegiate career. He signed his rookie contract in May 1972 and ended up making the team's final roster. Wicks made his NFL debut in the Cardinals' Week 1 win over the Baltimore Colts and appeared in the team's first nine games, recording one catch for eight yards. Following Week 9, he was sent to the Cardinals' taxi squad. He was released by the Cardinals on September 5, 1973. On October 31, 1973, he signed with the San Diego Chargers, though he was later released without playing in a game.

In 1974, Wicks signed with the Green Bay Packers. In November, he signed with the New Orleans Saints. He played for the Saints in the final five games of the season on special teams. He announced his retirement from professional football in July 1975, finishing his career with 15 games played and one reception for eight yards.

Later life With his wife, Kitty, Wicks has three sons and a daughter. Following his football career, he worked in Covina for a bus company before joining All Pack Company, Inc., a packaging business owned by his wife's parents. He worked for the business until his retirement and moved to Arizona in 2015. He also competed in softball tournaments.