View source for Bobby Layne

{{Short description|American football player (1926–1986)}}
{{For|the American football linebacker|Bobby Lane}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Bobby Layne
| image       = Bobby Layne 1961.jpg
| alt         =
| caption     = Layne with the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] in 1961
| number      = 22
| position    = [[Quarterback]] 
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1926|12|19}}
| birth_place = [[Santa Anna, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|1986|12|1|1926|12|19}}
| death_place = [[Lubbock, Texas]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 1
| weight_lb   = 201
| high_school = [[Highland Park High School (University Park, Texas)|Highland Park]] {{nowrap|([[University Park, Texas]])}}
| college     = [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas]] (1944–1947)
| draftyear   = 1948
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 3
| pastteams   = * [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|1948}})
* [[New York Yanks|New York Bulldogs]] ({{NFL Year|1949}})
* [[Detroit Lions]] ({{NFL Year|1950|1958}})
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] ({{NFL Year|1958|1962}})
| highlights  = * 3× [[List of NFL champions (1920–1969)|NFL champion]] ([[1952 NFL Championship Game|1952]], [[1953 NFL Championship Game|1953]], [[1957 NFL Championship Game|1957]])
* 2× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1952 All-Pro Team|1952]], [[1956 All-Pro Team|1956]])
* 4× Second-team All-Pro ([[1953 All-Pro Team|1953]], [[1954 All-Pro Team|1954]], [[1958 All-Pro Team|1958]], [[1959 All-Pro Team|1959]])
* 6× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1952 Pro Bowl|1951]]–[[1954 Pro Bowl|1953]], [[1957 Pro Bowl|1956]], [[1959 Pro Bowl|1958]], [[1960 Pro Bowl|1959]])
* 2× [[List of National Football League season passing yards leaders|NFL passing yards leader]] (1950, 1951)
* [[List of NFL season passing touchdowns leaders|NFL passing touchdowns leader]] (1951)
* [[List of National Football League annual pass completion percentage leaders|NFL completion percentage leader]] (1955)
* [[NFL scoring leader]]  ({{NFL Year|1956}})
* [[NFL 1950s All-Decade Team]]
* [[Pride of the Lions]]
* [[Detroit Lions 75th Anniversary Team]]
* [[Detroit Lions#Lions All-Time Team|Detroit Lions All-Time Team]]
* [[Detroit Lions#Retired numbers|Detroit Lions No. 22]] retired
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team]]
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers#Hall of Honor|Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor]]
* [[Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame]]
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1947 College Football All-America Team|1947]])
* Second-team All-American ([[1946 College Football All-America Team|1946]])
* 4× First-team All-[[Southwest Conference|SWC]] ([[1944 All-Southwest Conference football team|1944]], [[1945 All-Southwest Conference football team|1945]], [[1946 All-Southwest Conference football team|1946]], [[1947 All-Southwest Conference football team|1947]])
* [[Texas Longhorns football#Retired numbers|Texas Longhorns No. 22]] retired
| statlabel1  = Passing attempts
| statvalue1  = 3,700
| statlabel2  = Passing completions
| statvalue2  = 1,814
| statlabel3  = Completion percentage
| statvalue3  = 49%
| statlabel4  = [[Touchdown|TD]]–[[Interception|INT]]
| statvalue4  = 196–243
| statlabel5  = Passing yards
| statvalue5  = 26,768
| statlabel6  = [[Passer rating]]
| statvalue6  = 63.4
| statlabel7  = Rushing yards
| statvalue7  = 2,451
| statlabel8  = Rushing touchdowns
| statvalue8  = 25
| pfr         = LaynBo00
| HOF         = bobby-layne
| CollegeHOF  = 1706 
}}

'''Robert Lawrence Layne''' (December 19, 1926 – December 1, 1986) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[quarterback]] for 15 seasons in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas Longhorns]] before being selected by the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] with the third overall pick of the [[1948 NFL draft]] and traded to the [[Chicago Bears]]. Layne played one season with the Bears, and then with the [[New York Yanks|New York Bulldogs]] in 1949, the [[Detroit Lions]] from 1950 to 1958, and the Steelers from 1958 to 1962.<ref name="ppobitbm">{{Cite news |last=Modoono |first=Bill |date=December 2, 1986 |title=Bobby Layne: Time finally runs out on fun-loving Texan |page=D1 |work=Pittsburgh Press |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M5McAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BWMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3963%2C279036 |access-date=November 18, 2019 |archive-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816181517/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M5McAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BWMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3963%2C279036 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Layne was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1967 and the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1968. His number 22 is retired by the Texas Longhorns and the Lions.

==Early life==
Born in [[Santa Anna, Texas]], Layne grew up on a farm in [[Coleman County]] just north of Santa Anna.  His father, only 36, died of a heart attack when Layne was eight years old.  His mother, Bea, was so destitute, she could not afford to keep the family together.  Layne's two sisters stayed with his mother while he was sent to [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]] to live with his aunt and uncle, Mimi and Wade Hampton.  The Hamptons eventually adopted Layne and moved to Highland Park, Texas, which was then a suburb just north of [[Dallas]]. He attended [[Highland Park High School (University Park, Texas)|Highland Park High School]] in [[University Park, Texas|University Park]].  Layne's best friend and football teammate was fellow future hall of famer [[Doak Walker]], the [[Heisman Trophy]] winner in [[1948 college football season|1948]] for the [[1948 SMU Mustangs football team|SMU Mustangs]] and a pro teammate with the Detroit Lions.

In his senior year, Layne was named to the all-state [[High school football|football]] team, played in the [[Oil Bowl (high school)|Oil Bowl]] All-Star game, and led Highland Park to the state semifinals where they fell to eventual state champions San Angelo, 21–20.<ref name="handbook">{{Cite web |last=Kohou |first=Martin Donell |title=Layne, Robert Lawrence |url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fla87 |access-date=May 25, 2017 |website=tshaonline.org |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502001514/https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fla87 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bryce |first=Charles |date=September 9, 2017 |title=McSwane relives 1943 title at Bobcats' home opener |work=[[San Angelo Standard-Times]] |url=https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/sports/high-school/central/2017/09/09/mcswane-relives-1943-title-bobcats-home-opener/649835001/ |access-date=October 25, 2021 |archive-date=October 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025210637/https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/sports/high-school/central/2017/09/09/mcswane-relives-1943-title-bobcats-home-opener/649835001/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Football State Archives School Search: 1943 |url=https://www.uiltexas.org/files/athletics/brackets/football/football-2a-1943-1944_Source.pdf |access-date=October 25, 2021 |website=uiltexas.org |archive-date=October 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025210637/https://www.uiltexas.org/files/athletics/brackets/football/football-2a-1943-1944_Source.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

==College football==
One of the most successful quarterbacks ever to play for Texas, Layne was selected to four straight All-[[Southwest Conference]] teams from 1944 to 1947, and was a consensus All-American in his senior year. World War II caused a shortage of players, and rules were changed to allow freshmen to play on the varsity, thereby allowing Layne a four-year career.<ref name="freshman">{{Cite web |last=Lucksinger |first=Ross |title=The History of Freshman Quarterbacks at Texas |url=http://www.insidetexas.com/news/story.php?article=3253 |access-date=May 25, 2017 |website=insidetexas.com |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502001500/http://www.insidetexas.com/news/story.php?article=3253 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Freshman play was sporadically allowed by various conferences during wartime, but would not be allowed universally until the rules were permanently changed in [[1972 NCAA University Division football season|1972]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Jenkins |first=Dan |author-link=Dan Jenkins |date=October 30, 1972 |title=A locomotive for the class of '76 |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1972/10/30/617565/a-locomotive-for-the-class-of-76 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |page=26 |access-date=October 25, 2021 |archive-date=November 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107190931/https://www.si.com/vault/1972/10/30/617565/a-locomotive-for-the-class-of-76 |url-status=live }}</ref> In his freshman season, Layne became a very rare player (in that era) to start his first game. He missed his second game due to an injury and was replaced by future North Texas transfer [[Zeke Martin]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 10, 1944 |title=Texas-Oklahoma classic to be played Saturday in Dallas |work=Abilene Reporter-News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/44945404 |access-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-date=July 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730225502/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/44945404/ |url-status=live }}</ref> but Layne played the rest of the season and led the Longhorns to within one point of the [[Southwest Conference]] Championship when they lost to TCU 7–6 on a missed extra point.

Prior to and during his sophomore year, he spent eight months in the [[United States Merchant Marine|Merchant Marine]], serving with his friend Doak Walker. He missed the first six games of the season, and was replaced by [[Jack Halfpenny]]. The last game he missed was the team's only loss, to Rice, by one point. Texas went 10–1, won the Southwest Conference, and despite playing only half a season, Layne again made the all-conference team.<ref name=handbook/>

In the [[1946 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton Bowl Classic]] following that season, Texas beat [[1945 Missouri Tigers football team|Missouri]] 40–27, and Layne played perhaps the best game of his career. He set several NCAA and Cotton Bowl records that have lasted into the 21st century. In that game, he completed 11 of 12 passes and accounted for every one of the team's 40 points, scoring four touchdowns, kicking four field goals, and throwing for two other scores,  thus he was named one of the game's outstanding players.<ref>{{Cite web |title=One Man, All 40 Points |url=http://goldenrankings.com/footballoddfacts1.htm |access-date=August 7, 2013 |website=goldenrankings.com |archive-date=January 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110062247/http://goldenrankings.com/footballoddfacts1.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In [[1946 Texas Longhorns football team|1946]], the Longhorns were [[1946 college football rankings|ranked first]] in the preseason for the first time, but after beating No. 20 [[1946 Arkansas Razorbacks football team|Arkansas]], they were upset by #16 [[1946 Rice Owls football team|Rice]] and later by unranked [[1946 TCU Horned Frogs football team|TCU]]. They went 8–2, finished third in the conference, ranked fifteenth nationally, and missed out on any bowl games. Layne led the Southwest Conference in total offense (1420 yards), total passing (1115 yards), and punting average (42 yards).<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 3, 1946 |title=Bobby Layne Chalks Up Three SWC Titles |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lubbock-morning-avalanche-bobby-layne-ch/158028788/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241029003443/https://www.newspapers.com/article/lubbock-morning-avalanche-bobby-layne-ch/158028788/ |archive-date=2024-10-29 |access-date=2024-10-29 |work=Lubbock Morning Avalanche |pages=8 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Despite the unexpected finish, Layne was named All-Conference again and finished eighth in [[Heisman Trophy]] balloting to [[Glenn Davis (halfback)|Glenn Davis]] of [[1946 Army Cadets football team|Army]].<ref name="1946H">{{Cite web |title=1946 Heisman Trophy Voting |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1946.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121193206/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1946.html |archive-date=January 21, 2015 |access-date=January 21, 2015 |website=sports-reference.com}}</ref>

In [[1947 Texas Longhorns football team|1947]], [[Blair Cherry]] replaced [[Dana X. Bible]] as head coach at Texas and he decided to install the [[T-formation]] offense. Cherry, Layne, and their wives spent several weeks in Wisconsin studying the new offense at the training camps of the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League. The change was a success, as Layne led the Southwest Conference in passing yards, made the All-Conference and All-American teams, and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting to [[Johnny Lujack|John Lujack]] of [[1947 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1947.html |title=1947 Heisman Trophy Voting |access-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019212052/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1947.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Longhorns, after beating #19 [[1947 North Carolina Tar Heels football team|North Carolina]], started the season [[1947 college football rankings|ranked]] third. They then beat No. 15 [[1947 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]], but as happened in 1945, Texas was again denied an undefeated season by a missed extra point. After coming back once against Walker's No. 8 [[1947 SMU Mustangs football team|SMU]], Texas again found itself behind late in the game.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://stats.texassports.com/custompages/sports/m-footbl/archive/stats/47/ut-smu.htm |title=Texas vs SMU (Nov 1, 1947) |access-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017175744/https://stats.texassports.com/custompages/sports/m-footbl/archive/stats/47/ut-smu.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Layne engineered a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that would have tied the game, but kicker Frank Guess pushed the extra point wide and the Longhorns lost 14–13.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SMU's Greatest Moments #21 |url=http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/greatest-moments-21.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221203723/http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/greatest-moments-21.html |archive-date=December 21, 2014 |access-date=January 22, 2015 |website=smumustangs.com}}</ref> They fell to eighth, and finished behind SMU in the Southwest Conference, but gained an invitation to the [[1948 Sugar Bowl|Sugar Bowl]], where Layne and the Longhorns beat number-six [[1947 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama]]. As a result of his 10-of-24, 183-yard performance, Layne won the inaugural Miller-Digby award presented to the game's most valuable player.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 1, 1948 |title=14th Annual Sugar Bowl Classic |url=http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site153.php |access-date=January 22, 2015 |website=allstatesugarbowl.org |archive-date=December 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211135012/http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site153.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Longhorns finished ranked fifth, the best finish in Layne's career. Layne finished 6th in Heismann voting that season as well. Layne finished his Texas career with a school-record 3,145 passing yards on 210 completions and 400 attempts and 28 wins.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

Layne was one of the first inductees into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame and made the Cotton Bowl's All-Decade team (1937&ndash;1949) for the 1940s. Later, both of Layne's sons, Rob and Alan, played college football. Robert L. Layne Jr., was a kicker for Texas, playing on the [[1969 Texas Longhorns football team|1969]] national championship team,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://texassports.com/sports/2013/6/28/FB_1969_Roster |title=1969 Football Roster |access-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017175744/https://texassports.com/sports/2013/6/28/FB_1969_Roster |url-status=live }}</ref> and Alan played [[tight end]] for [[TCU Horned Frogs football|TCU]] in [[1973 TCU Horned Frogs football team|1973]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/texas-christian/1973-roster.html |title=1973 Texas Christian Horned Frogs Roster |access-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017175742/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/texas-christian/1973-roster.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Records===
* NCAA & Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most touchdowns responsible for, bowl game (6), tied by [[Chuck Long]] in 1984, [[Dan LeFevour]] in 2007 and [[Paul Smith (quarterback)|Paul Smith]] in 2008
* NCAA & Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most points responsible for, bowl game (40)
* NCAA &ndash; Highest completion rate (min. 10 attempts), bowl game (0.917), surpassed by [[Mike Bobo]] in 1998
* NCAA &ndash; Most points scored, bowl game (28), surpassed by [[Barry Sanders]] in 1988
* UT &ndash; Most Pass attempts, career (400), surpassed by [[Bret Stafford]] in 1986
* UT &ndash; Most Pass completions, career (210), surpassed by Stafford in 1986
* UT &ndash; Passing Yards, career (3,145), surpassed by Stafford in 1986
* UT &ndash; Lowest percentage of passes intercepted (minimum 300 passes), career (7.8%), surpassed by [[Donnie Little]] in 1981
* UT &ndash; Most starts, career (34), surpassed by [[Marty Akins]] in 1975
* UT &ndash; Best winning percentage (minimum 1 season), career (80.5%), surpassed by [[James "T" Jones|T Jones]] in 1952
* UT &ndash; Most quarterback victories, career (28), surpassed by [[Vince Young]] in 2005
* UT &ndash; Most touchdowns, game (4), tied by [[Jim Bertelsen]] in 1969, [[Steve Worster]] in 1970, [[Earl Campbell]] in 1977 and A.J. "Jam" Jones in 1979; surpassed by [[Ricky Williams]] in 1997
* UT &ndash; Most touchdown passes, career (25), surpassed by [[Peter Gardere]] in 1992
* UT &ndash; Most points scored, game (28), broke his own record of 24 set earlier that year, surpassed by Williams in 1997
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most consecutive completions, game (8), tied by [[Tony Graziani]] in 1996 and [[Clint Stoerner]] in 2000
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Highest completion rate (min. 10 attempts), game (0.917)
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most points scored, game and career (28)
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most touchdowns, game & career (4), tied by [[Tony Temple]] in 2008
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most points responsible for, career (40)
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most touchdowns responsible for, game & career (6)
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most points rushing, game (18), surpassed by Temple in 2008
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most touchdowns rushing, game (3), tied by [[Dicky Maegle]] in 1954 and [[Jim Brown]] in 1957, surpassed by Temple in 2008
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most touchdowns rushing, game (3), tied by Maegle in 1954, Brown in 1957, and [[Jim Swink]] in 1957, surpassed by Temple in 2008
* Cotton Bowl &ndash; Most yards per attempt (min 10 attempts), game (13.2), surpassed by [[James Street (quarterback)|James Street]] in 1969
<!-- Bold means active; as the Southwest Conference became defunct in 1996, its records are now essentially permanent.{{cn|date=May 2017}}-->

==College baseball==
{{more citations needed|section|date=May 2017}}
Layne was one of the best pitchers to ever play at [[Texas Longhorns baseball|Texas]]. He made the All-Southwest Conference team all four years he played, and played on teams that won all three Conference Championships available to them (none was named in 1944 due to World War II). He won his first career start, in 1944, when he was managed by his future football coach Blair Cherry, versus Southwestern, 14–1, in a complete-game, 15-strikeout performance.<ref name=CBHOF/> Similar to football, he missed the 1945 season because he was in the Merchant Marines, but returned to play three more seasons. In 1946, he threw the school's first and second [[no-hitter]]s and posted a 12–4 record. In 1947, he went 12–1 and led Texas to a third-place finish in the first NCAA baseball Tournament.

In 1948, he went 9–0 and again helped Texas win the Southwest Conference, but though they qualified for it, Texas decided not to attend the 1948 NCAA tournament because the players felt they had too many obligations with family and jobs.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Madden |first1=W.C. |title=The College World Series: A Baseball History, 1947–2003 |last2=Stewart |first2=Patrick J. |date=January 1, 2004 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=0786418427 |page=11}}</ref>

Texas went 60–10 overall, and 41–2 in the SWC during Layne's final three years in Austin. When his career was over, Layne had a perfect 28–0 conference record and set several school and conference records during his time on the team, including a few that still stand today. Between baseball and football, he was All-Conference an astounding eight times and won four conference championships.

In 1948, after earning his degree in physical education, Layne played a season of [[Minor League Baseball|minor league]] ball for the [[Lubbock Hubbers]] baseball team of the Class C [[West Texas–New Mexico League]].<ref name=handbook/> He went 6–5 with a 7.29 ERA, and had bids from the [[New York Giants]], the [[Boston Red Sox]], and the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] to join their staffs, but he preferred to go to the [[National Football League]], where he could play immediately rather than grind out several years in the minor-league system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guzzardi |first=Joe |date=February 5, 2011 |title=Bobby Layne: The NFL Hall of Fame Great Who Could Have Starred in the Major League |url=http://baseballpastandpresent.com/2011/02/05/bobby-layne-the-nfl-hall-of-fame-great-who-could-have-starred-in-the-major-league |access-date=January 30, 2015 |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402090903/http://baseballpastandpresent.com/2011/02/05/bobby-layne-the-nfl-hall-of-fame-great-who-could-have-starred-in-the-major-league/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Records===
* '''Southwest Conference & UT &ndash; Most conference victories, career, pitcher (28)'''
* '''Southwest Conference & UT &ndash; Highest conference winning percentage (min 10 decisions), career (1.000) (28–0)'''
* '''UT &ndash; Most runs scored, game (5), tied 11 times since'''
* UT &ndash; Most shutouts, season (4), tied [[Bus Gillet]], surpassed by [[Burt Hooton]] in 1969
* UT &ndash; Winning percentage, season (min 9 decisions) (1.00) (9–0), surpassed by Hooton in 1969
* UT &ndash; Most bases on balls, career (187), surpassed by [[Richard Wortham]] in 1976
* Southwest Conference & UT &ndash; Most strikeouts, season (134), surpassed by Hooton in 1969
* UT &ndash; Most strikeouts, career (386), tied by Hooton in 1971, surpassed by Wortham in 1976
* UT &ndash; Most strikeouts per nine innings pitched, career (10.78), surpassed by Hooton in 1971
* UT &ndash; Most wins, career (35), surpassed by Hooton in 1971
* UT &ndash; Highest winning percentage, career (0.921), surpassed by Terry Jackson in 1961
* UT &ndash; Most innings pitched, career (322.1), surpassed by Wortham in 1976
* '''Southwest Conference & UT &ndash; Most no-hitters, season (2), tied by Hooton'''
* '''Southwest Conference & UT &ndash; Most no-hitters, career (2), tied by [[James Street (quarterback)|James Street]], Hooton and [[Greg Swindell]]'''
* '''Southwest Conference & UT &ndash; Most consecutive conference victories (28)'''
* Southwest Conference &ndash; Most strikeouts in conference play, season (84)
Bold means "active" record; as the Southwest Conference became defunct in 1996, these records have essentially become permanent

==Professional football==
Drafted into the [[National Football League]] by the [[1948 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]], Layne was the third overall selection in the [[1948 NFL draft]] and was the second overall selection in the [[1948 AAFC Draft]] by the [[1948 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts]]. Layne did not want to play for the Steelers, the last team in the NFL to use the [[single-wing formation]], so his rights were quickly traded to the [[1948 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]].<ref name="penn">{{Cite web |last=Nassar |first=Taylor |title=Layne, Robert Lawrence |url=http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Layne__Bobby.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515231136/http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Layne__Bobby.html |archive-date=May 15, 2013 |access-date=January 23, 2015 |website=libraries.psu.edu}}</ref>

He was offered $77,000 to play for the Colts, but [[George Halas]], who attended the Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama and sat with Cherry and Layne after the game, "sweet talked" him into signing with the Bears. He promised a slow rise to fame in the "big leagues" with a no-trade understanding.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

After one season with the Bears in [[1948 Chicago Bears season|1948]], during which Layne was the third-string quarterback behind both [[Sid Luckman]] and [[Johnny Lujack]], Layne refused to return and tried to engineer his own trade to the [[1949 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]], while the Bears opposed a separate attempt by the [[Chicago Cardinals]]. Halas, preoccupied with fending off a challenge from the AAFC but also didn't want him to play for his rivals in the league, traded Layne to the [[1949 New York Bulldogs season|New York Bulldogs]] for two draft picks and $50,000 cash to be paid in four installments, with a clause barring Layne from ever playing for the Cardinals:

{{blockquote|After [[Charles Bidwill]] death his wife [[Violet Bidwill Wolfner|Violet]] had inherited $50,000 worth of Bears stock and she offered it to Halas in exchange for Layne. Although Halas and Charles Bidwill enjoyed a long friendship, the relationship between the two teams soured after Violet married Walter Wolfner, so Halas  refused the deal and traded the future hall of famer to the Bulldogs for $50,000 and two draft choices. He also demanded a clause in the contract that Layne could never be sold or traded to the Cardinals. Halas took the $50,000 from the trade and bought off the stocks from Violet Bidwill.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1960/04/04/the-unhappiest-millionaire|title=The Unhappiest Millionaire|work=Sports Illustrated Vault|date=1960|access-date=August 1, 2023|archive-date=August 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801193523/https://vault.si.com/vault/1960/04/04/the-unhappiest-millionaire|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

[[File:LaynewithLions.jpg|thumb|Layne on a football card]]
With Layne at quarterback, the Bulldogs won only one game and lost 11, but Layne played well and developed quickly.<ref name=handbook/> Layne compared one season with the soon-to-be-defunct New York Bulldogs as worth five seasons with any other NFL team.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

In 1950, he was traded to the [[1950 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]] for [[wide receiver]] [[Bob Mann (American football)|Bob Mann]], and the Lions agreed to make the final three payments to Halas (Halas later remarked that the Lions should have continued the yearly payments indefinitely to him in view of Layne's performance).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/730537-the-nfls-10-most-significant-front-office-decisions-ever|title=The NFL's 10 Most Significant Front Office Decisions Ever|work=Bleacher Report|access-date=August 1, 2023|archive-date=August 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801193524/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/730537-the-nfls-10-most-significant-front-office-decisions-ever|url-status=live}}</ref> For the next five years, Layne was reunited with his great friend and Highland Park High School teammate Doak Walker, and together they helped make Detroit into a champion.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

In [[1952 Detroit Lions season|1952]], Layne led the Lions to their first [[1952 NFL Championship Game|NFL Championship]] in 17 years, and then did so again in [[1953 Detroit Lions season|1953]] for back-to-back league titles. They fell short of a [[three-peat]] in [[1954 Detroit Lions season|1954]] when they lost 56–10 to [[1954 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]] in the [[1954 NFL Championship Game|NFL championship game]], a loss which Layne explained by saying, "I slept too much last night."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Collier |first=Gene |date=April 23, 2006 |title=Making a pitch for Bobby Layne for baseball hall |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2006/04/23/Gene-Collier-Making-a-pitch-for-Bobby-Layne-for-baseball-hall/stories/200604230217 |access-date=January 29, 2015 |archive-date=February 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218003739/http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2006/04/23/Gene-Collier-Making-a-pitch-for-Bobby-Layne-for-baseball-hall/stories/200604230217 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In [[1955 Detroit Lions season|1955]], the team finished last in their conference and Walker surprisingly retired at the top of his game. As Walker had been the team's kicker, Layne took over the kicking duties in [[1956 Detroit Lions season|1956]] and [[1957 Detroit Lions season|1957]], and in 1956 led the league in field-goal accuracy.  In 1956, the Lions finished second in the conference, missing the championship game by only one game. In 1957, the season of the Lions' most recent NFL championship, Layne broke his leg in three places in a pileup during the 11th game of the 12-game season.<ref name="apppgdce">{{Cite news |date=December 9, 1957 |title=Lions lose Layne but win, 20–7 |page=26 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a8VRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8GoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6964%2C1289531 |access-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310183253/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a8VRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8GoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6964%2C1289531 |url-status=live }}</ref> His replacement, [[Tobin Rote]], finished the season and led the Lions to victory in the [[1957 NFL Championship Game|championship game]] in Detroit, a 59–14 rout of the [[1957 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Championship - Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions - December 29th, 1957 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/195712290det.htm |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |access-date=12 June 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

After the second game of the {{nfly|1958}} season, [[1958 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] coach [[Buddy Parker]], formerly in Detroit, arranged a trade on October 6 that brought Layne to the Steelers.<ref name="ltoasqb">{{Cite news |last=Livingston |first=Pat |date=October 7, 1958 |title=Layne takes over as Steeler QB |page=27 |work=Pittsburgh Press |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0WscAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G08EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7023%2C2284688 |access-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-date=May 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517135052/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0WscAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G08EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7023,2284688 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="sglfml">{{Cite news |last=Sell |first=Jack |date=October 7, 1958 |title=Steelers get Layne for Morrall |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=19FaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4msDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4681%2C867976 |access-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-date=April 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426223708/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=19FaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4msDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4681%2C867976 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="lsyv">{{Cite news |date=October 7, 1958 |title=Lions send Bobby Layne to Steelers for Morrall |page=21 |work=Youngstown Vindicator |agency=Associated Press |location=Ohio |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fMU_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ylcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1000%2C2229111 |access-date=November 18, 2019 |archive-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816193114/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fMU_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ylcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1000%2C2229111 |url-status=live }}</ref> During his eight seasons in Detroit, the Lions won three NFL championships and Layne played in four [[Pro Bowls]], made first-team [[All-Pro]] twice, and at various times led the league in over a dozen single-season statistical categories.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bobby Layne Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LaynBo00.htm |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |access-date=12 June 2024 |language=en |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406093953/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LaynBo00.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the trade, Layne played five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though he made the Pro Bowl two more times, he never made it back to the playoffs, and the team's best finish was second in the conference in [[1962 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1962]].<ref name=penn/> During his last year in the NFL, he published his autobiography ''Always on Sunday''. Later he stated that the biggest disappointment in his football career was having never won a championship for the Pittsburgh Steelers and specifically, [[Art Rooney]].<ref name=penn/>

By the time Layne retired before the [[1963 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1963]] season, he owned the NFL records for passing attempts (3,700), completions (1,814), touchdowns (196), yards (26,768), and interceptions (243).<ref name=handbook/> He left the game as one of the last players to play without a [[Face mask (gridiron football)|face mask]] and was credited with creating the [[Hurry-up offense#Two-minute drill|two-minute drill]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cavanaugh |first=Jack |url=https://archive.org/details/giantsamongmenho00cava/page/129 |title=Giants Among Men |publisher=Random House |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-4000-6717-6 |page=[https://archive.org/details/giantsamongmenho00cava/page/129 129] |url-access=registration}}</ref><ref name=obit/> [[Doak Walker]] said of him, "Layne never lost a game...time just ran out on him."<ref name=HOF/>

Following his retirement as a player, Layne served as the quarterback coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1963 to 1965 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965. He was a scout for the [[Dallas Cowboys]] from 1966&ndash;67.<ref name="famed">{{Cite news |date=December 2, 1986 |title=Famed quarterback Bobby Layne dies |page=8 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=press dispatches |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19861202&id=BU8NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5W0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6678,213553 |access-date=January 30, 2015 |archive-date=November 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117032416/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19861202&id=BU8NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5W0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6678,213553 |url-status=live }}</ref> He later unsuccessfully sought the head coaching job at [[Texas Tech Red Raiders|Texas Tech]], his last professional involvement with the sport.<ref name=penn/>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#ffe6bd; width:3em;"|
| Won NFL championship
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 
| Led the league
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="3"| Games
! colspan="8"| Passing
! colspan="6"| Rushing
|-
! {{abbr|GP|Games played}} !! {{abbr|GS|Games started}} !! {{abbr|Record|Record as a starter}} !! {{abbr|Cmp|Pass completions}} !! {{abbr|Att|Pass attempts}} !! {{abbr|Pct|Pass completion percentage}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Passing yards}} !! {{abbr|Avg|Yards per pass attempt}} !! {{abbr|TD|Passing touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions thrown}} !! {{abbr|Rtg|Passer rating}} !! {{abbr|Att|Rushing attempts}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Rushing yards}} !! {{abbr|Avg|Yards per rush}} !! {{abbr|Lng|Longest rush}} !! {{abbr|TD|Rushing touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|Fum|Fumbles}}
|-
! [[1948 NFL season|1948]] || [[1948 Chicago Bears season|CHI]]
| 11 || 1 || {{N/A}} || 16 || 52 || 30.8 || 232 || 4.5 || 3 || 2 || 49.5 || 13 || 80 || '''6.2''' || 18 || 1 || 3 
|-
! [[1949 NFL season|1949]] || [[1949 New York Bulldogs season|NYB]]
| 12 || 12 || {{N/A}}{{efn|Although Layne started all 12 games for the Bulldogs, who went 1–10–1 during the season, he is not officially credited with that record by [[Pro-Football-Reference.com|Pro-Football-Reference]].}} || '''155''' || 299 || 51.8 || 1,796 || 6.0 || 9 || 18 || 55.3 || 54 || 196 || 3.6 || 27 || 3 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 10
|-
! [[1950 NFL season|1950]] || [[1950 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 12 || 12 || 6−6 || 152 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''336''' || 45.2 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 2,323 || 6.9 || 16 || 18 || 62.1 || 56 || 250 || 4.5 || 30 || 4 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''13'''
|-
! [[1951 NFL season|1951]] || [[1951 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 12 || 12 || 7−4−'''1''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 152 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 332 || 45.8 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 2,403 || 7.2 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''26''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''23''' || 67.6 || 61 || 290 || 4.8 || '''36''' || 1 || 8
|-
! [[1952 NFL season|1952]] || style="background:#ffe6bd; width:3em;"|[[1952 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 12 || 11 || '''9'''−2|| 139 || 287 || 48.4 || 1,999 || 7.0 || 19 || 20 || 64.5 || '''94''' || '''411''' || 4.4 || 29 || 1 || 5
|-
! [[1953 NFL season|1953]] || style="background:#ffe6bd; width:3em;"|[[1953 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 12 || 11 || '''9'''−2|| 125 || 273 || 45.8 || 2,088 || 7.6 || 16 || 21 || 59.6 || 87 || 343 || 3.9 || 23 || 0 || 8
|-
! [[1954 NFL season|1954]] || [[1954 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 12 || 8 || 6−1−'''1''' || 135 || 246 || '''54.9''' || 1,818 || 7.4 || 14 || 12 || 77.3 || 30 || 119 || 4.0 || 34 || 2 || 2
|-
! [[1955 NFL season|1955]] || [[1955 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 12 || 10 || 3−'''7''' || 143 || 270 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 53.0 || 1,830 || 6.8 || 11 || 17 || 61.8 || 31 || 111 || 3.6 || 19 || 0 || 4
|-
! [[1956 NFL season|1956]] || [[1956 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 12 || 12 || '''9'''−3 || 129 || 244 || 52.9 || 1,909 || 7.8 || 9 || 17 || 62.0 || 46 || 169 || 3.7 || 20 || '''5''' || 3
|-
! [[1957 NFL season|1957]] || style="background:#ffe6bd; width:3em;"|[[1957 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 11 || 7 || 4−3 || 87 || 179 || 48.6 || 1,169 || 6.5 || 6 || 12 || 53.0 || 24 || 99 || 4.1 || 21 || 0 || 3
|-
! rowspan="3"|[[1958 NFL season|1958]] || [[1958 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 2 || 1 || 0−1 || 12 || 26 || 46.2 || 171 || 6.6 || 1 || 2 || 48.7 || 3 || 1 || 0.3 || 4 || 0 || 2
|-
! [[1958 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 10 || 10 || 7−2−1 || 133 || 268 || 49.6 || 2,339 || 8.7 || 13 || 10 || 80.4 || 37 || 153 || 4.1 || 21 || 3 || 5
|-
! Total{{efn|Layne was traded mid-season to the Pittsburgh Steelers.}}
| 12 || 11 || 7−3−'''1''' || 145 || 294 || 49.3 || '''2,510''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 8.5 || 14 || 12 || '''77.6''' || 40 || 154 || 3.9 || 21 || 3 || 7
|-
! [[1959 NFL season|1959]] || [[1959 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 12 || 12 || 6–5–'''1''' || 142 || 297 || 47.8 || 1,986 || 6.7 || 20 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 21 || 62.8 || 33 || 181 || 5.5 || 21 || 2 || 2
|-
! [[1960 NFL season|1960]] || [[1960 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 12 || 9 || 5−4 || 103 || 209 || 49.3 || 1,814 || '''8.7''' || 13 || 17 || 66.2 || 19 || 12 || 0.6 || 13 || 2 || 1
|-
! [[1961 NFL season|1961]] || [[1961 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 8 || 6 || 2–4 || 75 || 149 || 50.3 || 1,205 || 8.1 || 11 || 16 || 62.8 || 8 || 11 || 1.4 || 9 || 0 || 4 
|-
! [[1962 NFL season|1962]] || [[1962 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 13 || 11 || 7−4 || 116 || 233 || 49.8 || 1,686 || 7.2 || 9 || 17 || 56.2 || 15 || 25 || 1.7 || 17 || 1 || 7
|-
! colspan="2"| Career || 175 || 145 || 80−48−4{{efn|If the 1−10−1 record from his season with the New York Bulldogs was officially included in his career statistics, Layne's win–loss record would be an estimated 81−58−5.}} || 1,814 || 3,700 || 49.0 || 26,768 || 7.2 || 196 || 243 || 63.4 || 611 || 2,451 || 4.0 || 36 || 25 || 80
|-
| colspan="19"| Source: [[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bobby Layne Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LaynBo00.htm |access-date=October 6, 2019 |publisher=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com|Pro-Football-Reference]] |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406093953/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LaynBo00.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}

==After football==
For his on-the-field exploits, Layne was inducted into a vast assortment of halls of fame. These included the [[Texas Sports Hall of Fame]] in 1960, the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1963, the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1967, the state halls of fame in [[Michigan Sports Hall of Fame|Michigan]] and [[Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame|Pennsylvania]], and the Texas High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1973.<ref name=handbook/><ref name="obit">{{Cite news |last=Harvey |first=Randy |date=December 2, 1986 |title=Football Legend Layne Dies at 59 of Heart Failure |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-12-02-sp-769-story.html |access-date=January 27, 2015 |archive-date=January 29, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129224418/http://articles.latimes.com/1986-12-02/sports/sp-769_1_bobby-layne |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="HOF">{{Cite web |title=Longhorn MVPs/Hall of Famers |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/tex/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/all-records_mvp_hall_of_fame.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125152253/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/tex/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/all-records_mvp_hall_of_fame.pdf |archive-date=November 25, 2015}}</ref> In 1981, he received the Golden Plate Award of the [[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]] presented by Awards Council member [[Tom Landry]]. He was presented alongside fellow honoree [[Doak Walker]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#sports |website=www.achievement.org |publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]] |access-date=November 25, 2020 |archive-date=December 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215023909/https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#sports |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2006, he was a finalist on the initial ballot for pre-1947 inductees to the College Baseball Hall of Fame.<ref name="CBHOF">{{Cite web |title=2006 Official College Baseball Foundation Hall of Fame Ballot |url=http://www.lsusports.net/pdf5/35238.pdf?ATCLID=267503&SPSID=27865&SPID=2173&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=5200 |access-date=January 29, 2015 |website=lsusports.net |archive-date=January 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130013105/http://www.lsusports.net/pdf5/35238.pdf?ATCLID=267503&SPSID=27865&SPID=2173&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=5200 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was a finalist again the following year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=College Baseball Hall of Fame Announces Official 2007 Nominee Ballot |url=http://www.baseballthemag.com/images/shortstops/CBF-hof-3-1-07.pdf |access-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-date=January 29, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129213109/http://www.baseballthemag.com/images/shortstops/CBF-hof-3-1-07.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In a special issue in 1995, ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' called Layne "The Toughest Quarterback Who Ever Lived." In 1999, he was ranked number 52 on the ''[[Sporting News]]''' list of Football's 100 Greatest Players.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sporting News' Football's 100 Greatest Players |url=http://archive.sportingnews.com/nfl/100/52.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516234322/http://archive.sportingnews.com/nfl/100/52.html |archive-date=May 16, 2008 |access-date=May 25, 2017}}</ref> After retirement, Layne spent 24 years as a businessman back in Texas in [[Lubbock, Texas|Lubbock]], working with his old college coach, Blair Cherry.<ref name=handbook/> His business ventures included farms, bowling alleys, real estate, oil, and the stock market.<ref name=penn/>

In his younger days, he was often accompanied by [[Alex Karras]], and was well known for his late-night [[pub crawl|bar-hopping]] and heavy drinking. It was said of him, "He would drink six days a week and play football on Sunday", and Layne would in fact drink during games - this heavy drinking may have contributed to his death.

Layne is reported to have stated: "If I'd known I was gonna live this long, I'd have taken a lot better care of myself." That line was later used by baseball player [[Mickey Mantle]], a [[Dallas]] neighbor and friend of Layne's, who also died in part due to decades of excess alcohol consumption. Layne suffered from [[cancer]] during his last years.

===Death===
In November 1986, he traveled to Michigan to present the Hall of Fame ring and plaque to his old friend and teammate Doak Walker, but was hospitalized with intestinal bleeding in [[Pontiac, Michigan|Pontiac]] after a reunion dinner with his former Detroit teammates. He returned to Lubbock on November 12, but three days later was hospitalized again.<ref name="blremicc">{{Cite news |date=November 21, 1986 |title=Bobby Layne remains in critical condition |page=8C |work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |agency=Associated Press |location=Florida |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lj8eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=v74EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2159%2C949355 |access-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-date=April 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430002633/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lj8eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=v74EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2159,949355 |url-status=live }}</ref> He died of [[cardiac arrest]] on December 1 in Lubbock and was buried there.<ref name=ppobitbm/><ref name=famed/> Doak Walker and three other members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame were among the [[pallbearer]]s.<ref name=handbook/><ref name="fhafnr">{{Cite news |date=December 4, 1986 |title=500 attend funeral for Bobby Layne |page=B6 |work=Ottawa Citizen |agency=UPI |location=Canada |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iMEyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ze8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2614%2C2486251 |access-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-date=May 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513050239/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iMEyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ze8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2614,2486251 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="feulla">{{Cite news |date=December 4, 1986 |title=Friends eulogize Layne |page=10 |work=Ludington Daily News |agency=Associated Press |location=Michigan |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RawLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QVUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3758%2C475146 |access-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-date=May 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509134410/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RawLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QVUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3758,475146 |url-status=live }}</ref>

"My only request," he once said, "is that I draw my last dollar and my last breath at precisely the same instant."<ref name=obit/>

=="Curse of Bobby Layne"==
In [[1958 Detroit Lions season|1958]], the defending NFL champion Lions traded Layne to the [[1958 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] in early October for [[Earl Morrall]] and two draft choices.<ref name=ltoasqb/><ref name=sglfml/><ref name=lsyv/> Layne responded to the trade by supposedly saying that the Lions would "not win for 50 years."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2009/03/02/searching-for-bobby-layne | title=Searching for Bobby Layne | access-date=December 20, 2023 | archive-date=December 20, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220010335/https://vault.si.com/vault/2009/03/02/searching-for-bobby-layne | url-status=live }}</ref>

While this story has been called a hoax, particularly because the quote was never published at the time,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rogers, Justin |date=March 7, 2009 |title=Turns out the Curse of Bobby Layne is probably a myth |work=MLive.com |url=http://blog.mlive.com/highlightreel/2009/03/turns_out_the_curse_of_bobby_l.html |access-date=November 25, 2010 |archive-date=June 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613010624/http://blog.mlive.com/highlightreel/2009/03/turns_out_the_curse_of_bobby_l.html |url-status=live }}</ref> over the next half-century after this trade, the Lions had the sixth lowest winning percentage of any team in the NFL.

The Lions have had multiple consecutive losing seasons and have been swept by division rivals constantly, and are 3–14 in postseason appearances since their 1957 championship, the worst record of any team; their three playoff wins were over [[1991 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas]] in [[1991 Detroit Lions season|1991]], and [[2023 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles]] and [[2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] in [[2023 Detroit Lions season|2023]]. They have played in only two NFC Championship games since their 1957 championship, in [[1991-92 NFL playoffs|1991]] and [[2023-24 NFL playoffs|2023]], with both being losses. In&nbsp;[[2008 Detroit Lions season|2008]], the last year of the supposed curse, the Lions lost all sixteen games.<ref>{{cite web |title=2008 Detroit Lions Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/2008.htm |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |access-date=12 June 2024 |language=en |archive-date=August 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829003335/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/2008.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

As for the Steelers, they won the [[Super Bowl]] that year, as well as in their previous appearance (in [[Detroit]]) in 2006, and became one of the most dominant teams in the NFL, though this took place after Layne's career, winning six Super Bowls: 1974 ([[Super Bowl IX|IX]]), 1975 ([[Super Bowl X|X]]), 1978 ([[Super Bowl XIII|XIII]]), 1979 ([[Super Bowl XIV|XIV]]), 2005 ([[Super Bowl XL|XL]]) and 2008 ([[Super Bowl XLIII|XLIII]]).<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 28, 2008 |title=Detroit Lions Become NFL's First 0-16 Team |agency=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/detroit-lions-become-nfls-first-0-16-team |access-date=October 26, 2021 |via=Fox News |archive-date=October 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026111954/https://www.foxnews.com/story/detroit-lions-become-nfls-first-0-16-team |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the [[2009 NFL draft]], immediately after the supposed curse had expired, the Detroit Lions selected [[2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team|University of Georgia]] quarterback [[Matthew Stafford]] first overall. Stafford was an alumnus of Layne's former school [[Highland Park High School (University Park, Texas)|Highland Park High School]] and lived in a house on the same street as Layne's.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Seifert, Kevin |date=July 27, 2009 |title=Black and Blue all over: Offseason's final week |work=[[ESPN.com]] |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/2240/black-and-blue-all-over-offseason-s-final-week |access-date=November 25, 2010 |archive-date=February 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226094526/http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/2240/black-and-blue-all-over-offseason-s-final-week |url-status=live }}</ref> In [[2011 Detroit Lions season|2011]], Stafford's first full injury-free season, he led the Lions to their [[2011–12 NFL playoffs#NFC: New Orleans Saints 45, Detroit Lions 28|first playoff berth]] since 1999, but lost to [[Drew Brees]] and the [[2011 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Matthew Stafford Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StafMa00.htm |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |access-date=12 June 2024 |language=en |archive-date=April 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407134229/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StafMa00.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=2011 Detroit Lions Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/2011.htm |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |access-date=12 June 2024 |archive-date=January 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129140444/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/2011.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2021, the Detroit Lions traded Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for [[Jared Goff]] in a blockbuster trade. Stafford went on to win [[Super Bowl LVI]] in his first season with the Rams, while the Lions started the 2021 season 0–10–1, and eventually finished 3–13–1, the second worst record in the NFL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Jelani |date=January 30, 2021 |title=Lions to trade Matthew Stafford to Rams in blockbuster deal involving Jared Goff, picks |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/lions-agree-to-trade-matthew-stafford-to-rams-in-blockbuster-deal-involving-jare |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131032128/https://www.nfl.com/news/lions-agree-to-trade-matthew-stafford-to-rams-in-blockbuster-deal-involving-jare |archive-date=January 31, 2021 |access-date=12 June 2024 |website=[[National Football League]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=2021 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2021/index.htm |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |access-date=12 June 2024 |language=en |archive-date=January 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130193824/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2021/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Further, in the 63 years since the curse, the Lions also endured multiple [[List of NFL franchise post-season droughts|playoff droughts]] lasting more than six years: including the year of the trade, the Lions did not make the playoffs for twelve consecutive seasons (1958–1969; 1971–1981; 1984–1990; 2000–2010).<ref>{{Cite web |title=2013 NFL Record & Fact Book |url=http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/2013/373_399_Past_Standings.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927224214/http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/2013/373_399_Past_Standings.pdf |archive-date=2020-09-27 |website=NFL}}</ref>

In October 2022, Hall of Fame quarterback [[Peyton Manning]] - who once led his [[Indianapolis Colts]] to a [[Blowout (sports)|blowout victory]] over the Lions on [[NFL on Thanksgiving Day|Thanksgiving Day in 2004]] - dedicated an episode of his [[ESPN]] series "Peyton's Places" to the curse and its effects on the Lions. Manning placed a bathtub filled with [[whiskey]] (in place of water, owing to Layne's hard-drinking) and a cup of salt in an endzone at [[Ford Field]] to perform a chant over it with actor [[Jeff Daniels]] in an attempt to lift the curse.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y97Y_HnW1k&ab_channel=BradGalli |title=Show clip: Peyton Manning prepared a curse-breaking bathtub for Jeff Daniels and the Lions |website=[[YouTube]] |date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215075558/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y97Y_HnW1k&ab_channel=BradGalli |url-status=live }}</ref> After starting [[2022 Detroit Lions season|their 2022 season]] 1–6, the Lions performance notably improved after the episode aired; they won eight of their remaining ten games to end with a winning record, prompting speculation that Manning may have succeeded in lifting the curse.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/sports/2022/11/23/broderick-thankful-the-curse-on-the-lions-has-been-lifted-i-think/69667268007/ |title=Broderick: Thankful the curse on the Detroit Lions has been lifted — I think |access-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-date=October 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013193306/https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/sports/2022/11/23/broderick-thankful-the-curse-on-the-lions-has-been-lifted-i-think/69667268007/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[2023 Detroit Lions season|following season]] the Lions won their first NFC North title, their first divisional title since 1993.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2023/12/24/detroit-lions-win-nfc-north-division-title/72025433007/|title=Lions win division for first time in 30 years, claiming franchise's first NFC North title|website=USA TODAY|last=Middlehurst-Schwartz|first=Michael|date=December 24, 2023|access-date=January 23, 2024}}</ref> On January 14, 2024, the Lions won their first playoff game since 1992 against the [[Los Angeles Rams]] and former Lions quarterback [[Matthew Stafford]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10105097-nfl-fans-celebrate-jared-goffs-lions-for-earning-1st-playoff-win-since-1992-vs-rams|title=NFL Fans Celebrate Jared Goff's Lions for Earning 1st Playoff Win Since 1992 vs. Rams|website=Bleacher Report|last=Bachar|first=Zach|date=January 15, 2024|access-date=January 23, 2024}}</ref> The Lions then won a divisional round game against the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], marking the first time since [[1957 Detroit Lions season|1957]] that the Lions won two playoff games in a season. However, the Lions have yet to win a road playoff game since 1957.<ref>{{cite web |title=Detroit Lions Playoff History |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/playoffs.htm |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |access-date=12 June 2024 |language=en |archive-date=October 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012012519/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/playoffs.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> As of the end of the 2024 regular season the Lions have a record of 34 wins and 10 losses (including playoffs) since the incantation was performed by Daniels and Manning at Ford Field. Leading many to believe that the curse has been successfully lifted.<ref name="l240">{{cite web | last=Gantert | first=Tom | title=Did Peyton Manning Break the Curse of Bobby Layne? | website=Michigan Enjoyer | date=2024-11-27 | url=https://enjoyer.com/did-peyton-manning-break-the-curse-of-bobby-layne-detroit-lions-championship/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127211349/https://enjoyer.com/did-peyton-manning-break-the-curse-of-bobby-layne-detroit-lions-championship/ | archive-date=2024-11-27 | url-status=live | access-date=2025-01-15}}</ref>

In the [[2023-24 NFL playoffs#Conference championships|2023-24 NFC Championship Game]], the Lions held a 24–7 lead at halftime against the [[2023 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]], the team the Lions won their last conference championship against in [[1957 NFL playoffs|1957]], and a mirror image of the 49ers' blown lead in that game. The Lions’ defense gave up 27 unanswered points and failed to recover an onside kick as the 49ers won 34–31.<ref>{{cite web |title=NFC Championship - Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers - January 28th, 2024 |url=https://pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202401280sfo.htm |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |access-date=12 June 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

In the [[2024 Detroit Lions season|2024 season]], the Lions got out to their best record in franchise history since their inaugural [[1934 Detroit Lions season|1934 season]] at 15-2, which included a franchise record win streak of eleven straight victories, winning every single regular season road game for the first time in franchise history, sweeping all their divisional rivals for the first time in franchise history, along with clinching only their second first round BYE and their first ever #1 seed. However, the team was decimated by injuries to 22 players (coinciding with the jersey number Layne wore while playing for the Lions), with the most notable injury being to star [[defensive end]] [[Aidan Hutchinson]], who suffered a season-ending leg injury during the Lions’ week 6 matchup against the [[2024 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]] in Bobby Layne’s home state of [[Texas]], just seven days removed from the anniversary of Layne being traded to the Steelers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/lions-injuries-are-becoming-recurring-nightmare-in-otherwise-dream-season-020417086.html|last=Wetzel|first=Dan|title=Lions' injuries are becoming recurring nightmare in otherwise dream season|website=Yahoo Sports|date=December 15, 2024|accessdate=December 16, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2024/10/14/aidan-hutchinson-injury-update-lions-timeline/75670536007/|last=Camenker|first=Jacob|title=How long is Aidan Hutchinson out? Updated injury timeline for Lions DE|website=[[USA Today]]|date=October 14, 2024|accessdate=December 16, 2024}}</ref> As a result of these injuries, the Lions were shockingly upset in the divisional round by the sixth-seeded [[Washington Commanders]] by a 45-31 score.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2025/01/18/lions-commanders-game-live-score-updates-highlights-tv-channel/77778706007/|last=Ramsey|first=Jared|title=Lions vs Commanders score: Recap, highlights from Lions disappointing 45-31 playoff loss|website=[[Detroit Free Press]]|date=January 18, 2025|accessdate=January 23, 2025}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders]]
* [[List of Texas Longhorns football All-Americans]]
* [[List of Chicago Bears first-round draft picks]]
* [[List of National Football League career passing touchdowns leaders]]
* [[List of National Football League career passing yards leaders]]
* [[List of National Football League career quarterback wins leaders]]
* [[Sports-related curses]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* [http://www.tshof.org/inductees/index.html?staff_id=174 Texas Sports Hall of Fame profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212214810/http://tshof.org/inductees/index.html?staff_id=174 |date=February 12, 2009 }}
* {{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=|fangraphs= |cube= |brm=layne-001rob }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150122013410/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/bobby-layne-1.html Texas football stats]
* {{Find a Grave|9679}}

{{Texas Longhorns quarterback navbox}}
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[[Category:1926 births]]
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