Gregory Edwin Latta (October 13, 1952 – September 28, 1994) was an American football player. As tight end, he was drafted by the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League (NFL), but played instead for the Florida Blazers of the World Football League (WFL) in 1974. He was traded to the Chicago Bears in 1975 for third- and seventh-round draft picks, along with the head coach of the Blazers, Jack Pardee.[1] Latta was a member of the Bears from 1975 to 1979.
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
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| Born: | October 13, 1952 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | September 28, 1994 (aged 41) Newark, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 226 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Newark (NJ) South Side | ||||||||
| College: | Morgan State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1974 / round: 8 / pick: 188 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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In his rookie season with the Florida Blazers, Latta caught 39 passes for 815 yards and nine touchdown receptions. The Blazers went to the 1974 World Bowl Championship game falling 22-21 to the Birmingham Americans.
During his 5-year NFL career, the 6-foot-3, 227-pound tight end caught 90 passes for 1,081 yards and 7 touchdowns. On special teams, he returned 3 kickoffs for 22 yards.[2]
Background
editLatta attended South Side High School in Newark[3] and Morgan State College in Baltimore, Maryland.
Death
editHe died on September 28, 1994, at St. Michael's Hospital of an apparent heart attack, Newark, New Jersey. He was 41 years old.
References
edit- ^ Mayer, Larry (January 28, 2014). "Bears drafted Payton 39 years ago". Chicago Bears. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
- ^ "Gregory Edwin Latta". Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved April 14, 2008.
- ^ Carroll, Bob (1999). Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780062701749. Retrieved April 14, 2008.