NFL Legend Turned Actor, Who Once Helped Stop an Assassin, Turns 93 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Only a select number of NFL players have transitioned to a career in politics after their stint in the league. In the entire history of the NFL, however, there is only one who can make the claim that he once played a key role in subduing the assassin of U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
That man is former New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams star defensive tackle Rosey Grier, who happens to be celebrating a milestone event on Monday. The one-time NFL champion turned 93 on July 14, making him one of the oldest living former players.
Grier started his NFL career as a third-round pick for the Giants during the 1955 NFL Draft. He played eight seasons in New York and was part of the Giants’ championship-winning season in 1956.
The former Penn State star was traded to the Rams in 1963 and became a part of the legendary “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line. In 11 years in the NFL, Grier was named a Pro Bowler twice and got an All-Pro nod three times.
In 1968, two years after his retirement, Grier was part of Kennedy’s security team when Sirhan Sirhan opened fire at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Grier helped subdue and disarm Sirhan. His heroic actions brought him national recognition and helped launch his career as a prominent television and film personality.
Grier became an actor and appeared in dozens of TV shows, which included “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and “I Dream of Jeannie.” He even got his own TV show, “The Rosey Grier Show,” which aired from 1968 to 1970.
Grier has had a colorful life, to say the least, and it’s amazing that he’s still going strong at 93.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.