Roger Staubach’s Frog Prince Grandson Wears TCU Purple

Despite coming from a family of football aristocracy, Joe Staubach is much more than just a player.

When watching a football game, a writer will attempt to observe various aspects of the sideline with binoculars.

Emotions, reactions, and player interactions can give context for what is going on in the real world. The coach is in the same boat. The trainer is ministering to someone, oh no.

These are just some of the things you should be aware of.

But last season, after an initial scan failed to find anything strange going on with TCU’s sideline, one inspection had everyone do a double take.

Anyone could see the name on the back of No. 43. It was conspicuous like a dog park cat, or maybe

It’s not necessary to be a 50-something sports fanatic who grew up watching the Dallas Cowboys build their stone walls, drawbridges, and castles in order to recognize the name Staubach.

The founding, and ostensibly eternal, legendary figure of the Dallas Cowboys empire was Roger Staubach. The Cowboys’ previous epic victories were largely attributed to “Captain America,” the obedient servant who masterminded one of the most famous plays in NFL history, the “Hail Mary,” and guided the team to four NFL championship game appearances, including wins in Super Bowls VI and XII.

His cultural relevance is comparable to Elvis, assuming you’ve heard of him, at least in this area of the country, minus the peanut butter, sliced bananas, and crisp bacon sandwiches, as far as I’m aware.

Joe Staubach, a Dallas Jesuit High School alumnus, does not see it that way. Above all, Roger Staubach is “granddad.” Of course he is aware of the history, legend, and ancestry, but as a redshirt freshman walk-on wide receiver at TCU, he is focused on living his own life.

Joe recalls that the moment he stepped into the convenience store a year ago upon moving to Fort Worth, the cashier recognized his name right away. Naturally, when he presented himself to the coaches, they understood.

If not, he claims, the acknowledgment is “kind of random.”

Of course, there was a period of time when he was ignorant.

If you’re talking about realizing what [Roger] did, I definitely remember it clearly,” Joe replies. “A coach at Christ the King [elementary school] asked me about it and gave me a brief explanation when I was in kindergarten or first grade.”

Joe “started to understand that my name, you know, came with recognition and people kind of noticed it” after asking his parents for further information.

There’s a good chance the family football games during the holidays became to signify more. On Thanksgiving, who else had Roger Staubach fling passes at them?

Above all, Joe traveled to Fort Worth in order to attend the Neeley School of Business at the university. He intends to major in real estate and finance. His father and grandfather worked in real estate. He hadn’t really considered trying out for the football team until his father Jeff gave him advice and advised him to do so if he was interested.

He has never experienced familial pressure to follow in Roger Staubach’s footsteps on the football field, despite his last name.

He explains, “My parents were really great about that.” “They did enroll me in sports when I was younger, which I really appreciate, but they never made me play.”

The event itself and “you know, get your energy out and all that stuff” were always the main points of emphasis.

“I tried everything—football, baseball, basketball, soccer, and so on. They responded, “Just go have fun.” They never said anything like, “You have to be a quarterback.” “If you’re going to do it, you’re going to work hard,” which is, of course, the correct course of action. Yesterday, during our conversation, my mother said, “It’s okay if you don’t end up loving it in the end.” Try your hardest to achieve what brings you happiness.

In college sports, a student-athlete who joins a team without getting an athletic scholarship or any other type of financial help solely because of their athletic ability is referred to as a “walk-on.” Generally speaking, walk-ons are in charge of paying their own tuition and other costs. They can audition for a seat on the team, or they can just show up and indicate that they want to play.

Practice players that assist the scholarship athletes in getting ready for competitions are mostly walk-ons. Some contribute on game days now or in the future. Some may even eventually be awarded a scholarship.

But because they are effectively giving their team their time, the walk-ons exhibit a certain kind of devotion and dedication. Not only are there no scholarships, but there are also none of these trendy NIL offers. In other words, collegiate athletes can now make NIL from their “name, image, and likeness.” Million-dollar deals are held by a select few people nationwide, if any at all. Usually, though, it’s much less than that, but still far more than a federal Pell Grant and sufficient to go out to eat and see a movie on Friday nights — when it’s not in season, of course.

Obtaining a walk-on slot frequently necessitates what amounts to an appointment to a military institution. Okay, so that’s a bit of an embellishment, but politics may be involved. Max Knake, the former quarterback for TCU, was one of Joe Staubach’s allies and provided him with a kind of endorsement.

As Joe himself acknowledges, “I wasn’t really ready to hang up the pads.” “I wish I had benefited from it more in high school.” “You should try it,” [his father] urged to me as I was praying about it. Okay, I thought, let’s give it a shot.

I’m not sure if TCU is the only university in the country with two Pro Football Hall of Fame grandchildren on staff. Jack Pardee’s grandson is Klein Cain High School quarterback Luke Pardee. The A&M alumnus and native Texan was a Hall of Fame coach.

That first year in 2022 was one they’ll both remember very fondly. A magical run — we use that term, “magical” all the time, but is there really any other way to describe it — to the national championship and all the moments along the way is not something either will forget, naturally.

In actuality, Joe is descended from two former NFL quarterbacks as grandfather. Jim Ward, a former player for the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Colts, is his maternal grandfather. For a while, Jim Ward served as Johnny Unitas’ backup. His brief career came to an end when renowned QB murderer Dick Butkus injured his knee. Ward is one of the few, if not the only, player from tiny Gettysburg College to be drafted into the NFL.

There were 2,378 enrolled soldiers at Gettysburg in the fall of 2022, a small number compared to the almost 51,000 dead in the more well-known Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln’s dire prophecy that “the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here.”

It appears as if the reader is seeing a popcorn trail in type. Rewinding to the Staubachs.

The Staubachs and the Wards shared a mutual friend with Jeff and Jenny, Joe’s parents. Don’t tell anyone, but Jenny attended SMU. Of the three, Joe is the eldest. Caroline, his sister, is a Baylor soccer player.

Roger and Marianne Staubach had five children, including Jeff, and their family tree included seventeen grandchildren.

Joe observes that the family is “dominantly girl.”

Joe claims that his grandfather’s advice to “do whatever you want to do” was constant. I simply adore taking in the sight.

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He would frequently offer football advise, but it was the off-field counsel—such as sticking with what you’ve committed to and being devoted to others—that truly struck out to me. And then my life of faith alone.

Some may find it odd that the family is “girl dominant” in light of Roger’s devotion to Our Lady. It is widely known that Roger and Marianne are devoted to and committed to their Catholic beliefs.

The “Hail Mary,” Roger Rogers’ last-second, 50-yard desperate ball to Drew Pearson in a 1975 playoff game versus Minnesota, is one of the most well-known plays in NFL history.

The Cowboys prevailed 17–14 after the pass was completed for a score. Following the game, Roger told the media in the locker room that all he had done was hoist the ball and recite the Hail Mary, a customary Catholic prayer and homage to Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.

Years ago, Roger made a joke when addressing students in Dallas, saying, “I could have said the ‘Our Father’ or ‘Glory Be.'” Perhaps it’s the “Glory Be Pass.” The NFL started to recognize the word. The Virgin Mary is really pleased with me. That’s why our relationship is wonderful.

The Staubachs are renowned for adhering to the most significant principles in life. No matter what, you should love your neighbor and treat everyone the way you would like to be treated.

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I really delved into my faith a lot deeper during my senior year of high school,” Joe adds. “I hadn’t given it much thought since, well, it was just a class in a Catholic high school. However, I jumped right in and started to take it seriously. My consistency in praying increased.

That caught his family’s attention.

“My grandparents told me that they were happy that I had accomplished it. Additionally, [his grandfather] informed me that how you treat people off the field matters twice as much as anything else. The piece of advice that best resonates with me is that one.