Bob Lee (quarterback)


Robert Melville Lee is a former professional American football player. He graduated from Lowell High School in 1963. Nicknamed "General" Bob Lee during a brief period of success with the Atlanta Falcons, Lee was selected in the 17th round by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1968 NFL Draft. A quarterback and punter from the University of the Pacific, Lee played in 14 NFL seasons from 1967–1981 for 3 teams.
As a member of the Vikings, he saw action as a punter in Super Bowl IV and he threw a touchdown pass in Super Bowl XI. With starting quarterback Fran Tarkenton's late season injury in the 1977 season, Lee started and led the Vikings to a 14–7 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs. The game was infamous due to the muddy conditions. Lee started the NFC Championship the next week as well against the Dallas Cowboys, but the Vikings lost 23–6. He was also a backup in Super Bowl XIV as a member of the Los Angeles Rams.
During his stint with the Falcons, he led Atlanta to a 20–14 victory over the 9–0 Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football on November 19, 1973. 1973 was Lee's most successful season in the NFL. He replaced Dick Shiner as the Falcons quarterback in Week 5 and led the Falcons to seven consecutive wins, including the win over the Vikings, on their way to a 9–5 record, the Falcons' best season in their history at that point. Lee started 10 games and passed for 1,786 yards with 10 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.
His son, Zac Lee, played football for the University of Nebraska and was the team's starting quarterback for most of the 2009 season. His daughter Jenna Lee worked in various roles for the Fox Business Network starting in 2007, prior to becoming an anchor on the Fox News Channel in 2010.
He is one of ten quarterbacks to post both a perfect quarterback rating and a zero passer rating over the course of their careers, and is the first to have done so in the same season.