Date of birth | December 4, 1948 |
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Place of birth | Santa Monica, California |
Career information | |
Position(s) | Wide receiver |
College | Stanford |
NFL draft | 1971 / Round: 17 / Pick 418 |
Career history | |
As player | |
1971–1976 | New England Patriots |
1977 | Green Bay Packers |
Career stats | |
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Randel Edward "Randy" Vataha, (born December 4, 1948 in Santa Monica, California), was a wide receiver who played seven seasons in the NFL.
Vataha, a wide receiver, was one of Jim Plunkett's favorite receiving targets at Stanford. In 1970, Vataha caught a 96-yard touchdown pass from Plunkett, the longest touchdown catch in Stanford history until it was surpassed by a 98-yard pass from Joe Borchard to Troy Walters in 1999. He scored the last touchdown in Stanford's upset of Ohio State in the 1971 Rose Bowl and is a member of the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame.
He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 17th round of the 1971 NFL Draft (418th overall), but was signed as a free agent by the New England Patriots, where he was reunited with Plunkett. In his first NFL season, Vataha was named to UPI's AFC all-rookie team. He played six seasons with the Patriots before ending his career with the Green Bay Packers in 1977.
After retiring from football, Vataha was a founding member of the United States Football League in 1983, owning 50% of the Boston Breakers. Vataha is now the president of Game Plan LLC, a company that specializes in the buying and selling of professional sports teams.