Robert "Rocky" Bleier
Bleier (left) in 2009, showing his Super Bowl rings, which are being worn by U.S. Army Captain Larsen
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| No. 20, 26 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Date of birth: | March 5, 1946 | ||||||||||
| Place of birth: | Appleton, Wisconsin | ||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Appleton (WI) Xavier | ||||||||||
| College: | Notre Dame | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1968 / Round: 16 / Pick: 417 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
| Rushing Yards: | 3,865 |
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| Average: | 4.2 |
| Total Touchdowns: | 23 |
| Rushing Attempts: | 980 |
| Player stats at NFL.com | |
| Rocky Bleier | |
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| Allegiance |
 United States of America
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| Service/branch |
 United States Army
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| Years of service | 1968–1969 |
| Rank |
 Specialist 4
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| Unit |
 Company C, 4th Battalion (Light), 31st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade
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| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards |
Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart Combat Infantryman Badge |
| Other work | author, actor, motivational speaker |
Robert Patrick "Rocky" Bleier (born March 5, 1946) is an American former professional American football player. He was a National Football League (NFL) halfback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968 and from 1971 to 1980.
Nicknamed "Rocky" as a baby, Bleier said, "As the first born of the family, my dad was proud, as all parents are. And the guys would come into the bar and say 'Bob, how's that new kid of yours?' And my dad would go, 'Aw, you should see him, guys, looks like a little rock sitting in that crib. He's got all these muscles.' So they'd come back in the bar and they'd say, 'Hey Bob, how's that little rock of yours?' So after that, that's how I got it. It stuck."
Born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin, Bleier was the oldest of four children of Bob and Ellen Bleier, who ran a tavern - Bleier's Bar - while the family of six lived above it. He had a paper route as a youth, and graduated from Xavier High School in 1964, where he starred in football and basketball. In football, Bleier was a three-time all-state selection as running back, and won all-conference honors at both linebacker and defensive back. He was a team captain in football, basketball, and track.
Bleier played college football at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, and graduated in 1968 with a degree in business management. During his junior season in 1966, the Fighting Irish won the national championship and he was a team captain as a senior in 1967. He was selected in the 16th round of the 1968 NFL/AFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 417th overall.
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