Don Beebe was a multi-sport athlete at Kaneland High School in Maple Park, Illinois. He was a letter winner in basketball, track and, of course, football.
The versatile star attended Western Illinois University and eventually transferred to Chadron State College in Nebraska, setting various school records during his one season on the field there. In 2000, he was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Selected in the third round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, Beebe spent six seasons there, playing in an astounding four Super Bowls during his time there.
He later spent one season in Carolina with the Panthers and two with the Green Bay Packers, one as a part of the Super Bowl XXXI winning team before retiring after the 1997 NFL season.
In his nine years in the league, Beebe caught over 200 passes for over 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns.
What he might be most known for was his iconic play in Super Bowl XXVII against the Dallas Cowboys when he stripped Dallas Cowboys defensive end Leon Lett of the ball just before the showboating Lett crossed the goal line.
Beebe spent years coaching upcoming athletes after he founded House of Speed, LLC, a company that specializes in training athletes in various aspects of performance and character.
Beebe is the current head coach of the Aurora Spartans, his alma mater. He’s led the Division III school to a very impressive 20-5 record in his three seasons there, going undefeated (18-0) in conference play.
Beebe is also active with speaking engagements around the country throughout the year.
In our newest Card Back Q&A, he talks about his skills on the hardwood, his very first NFL catch going for a long touchdown, running the 40 in under 4.4 seconds barefoot and in jean shorts and much more.
Tony Reid-Both your 1989 Pro Set and your 1989 Topps Traded rookie cards mention you playing college basketball at Aurora College. You averaged to 16 points per game. What was Don Beebe’s game like on the hardwood?
Don Beebe-Oh, man. It was a lot of fast breaks and a lot of missed layups because I would go too fast. This is funny, I am the head football coach at that same university that I came to in 1983.
TR-The back of your 1990 Pro Set mentions that your very first NFL catch was a 63-yard touchdown in Buffalo’s 47-41 overtime victory over Houston. How special was it that you took your first catch to the house?
DB- I don’t know in the history of the NFL, if that had ever been done before where the first time you touch the ball it was a touchdown. If there is anybody else I doubt that it went for 63 yards or longer. So, I might have the longest in NFL history for the first time touching a ball and scoring a touchdown.
I didn’t play the first two games. We weren’t in the K-Gun Offense yet. This was 1989. To get on the field– and this was a nationally televised game on a Saturday afternoon down at the Astrodome back in the 80’s–my whole family was back in Chicago watching the game. I remember after scoring the touchdown and getting to the bench after things settled down a bit and just reflecting, knowing my family and friends were going crazy. It was an emotional time to get to do that on your first play ever.
TR-Many of your card backs mentioned your blazing speed. On your 1992 Bowman card, it states that your 40 time was as fast as 4.32. Did you surprise a lot of people with how fast you actually were?
DB- I never really got caught up in that. I have been timed six times my whole life in the 40. I ran a 4.32. That was the slowest time I ever ran. That was barefoot at Western Illinois before I ever played a down of college football. It was pro day. I was a senior. I had never played football before. It’s a long story how we got to that point. I wasn’t even invited. I just happened to walk into the gym and asked the guy if I could run. He’s said yeah, go ahead, who cares, right? I was in jean shorts, a tank top and sandals. I had just got out of math class. They didn’t give me time to go back to my dorm room and get my running shoes or warm up. I just kicked my sandals off and ran a 4.32. That was the first time I had ever been timed.
Then when I got crazy enough to get invited to the combine in 1989, remember this was before any media could get into the combine, nobody but NFL personnel could get into the dome.
Fast forward to 2002 or 2003. I was already retired. I was training some guys that were preparing for the combine. I was sitting in the box with Tony Dungy and Bill Polian, who was the general manager of the Colts. He used to be with the Bills. He drafted me, so I knew Bill really well. He looked over to me and said ‘Beebe, you know you still hold the record, you and Deion.’ I was like ‘Record? What are you talking about?’ Nobody knew what anybody ran back then. Nobody would tell anybody. Bill was one of the guys who basically started the combine back in the early 80’s. Long story short, I said ‘You are kidding me.’ he said ‘Yeah you ran a 4.25 with Deion that year.’ That record stood until Chris Johnson ran a 4.23 in 2007 and broke it. The fastest I was ever timed was by a New York Jets scout when I was coming out in the draft. I was timed at 4.21 with that scout at Chadron. I ran a 4.28 by Buffalo. I was timed another 4.28 by another team. I take that back. It has been seven times. I was 33 years old. I just retired. I was going speed camps around the country. This kid was talking trash at this combine. He ran a 4.41. Without even warming up, the whole camp was like Beebe he can beat you. OK, kid. Let’s go. I ran a 4.38 at 33 years old. That was the last time I was timed in the 40 yard dash. I would run a 5.38 right now, Tony. I just want you to know that. (Laughs)
TR-The back of your 1993 Pro Set Power pictures the classic image of you knocking the ball out of Leon Lett’s hand right as he was set to cross the goal line. It states ‘the epitome of hustle and desire, Don Beebe ran down Leon Lett of the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVII and stripped him of the ball just before crossing the goal line.’ Considering the score at the time was 52-17 Dallas, some say that play is one of the most iconic in the history of sport, in terms of hustle, heart, and determination.
DB-To be honest with you, it comes up in conversation all the time. It doesn’t matter if I’m at the mall or here coaching. That play is going to be iconic. First of all, it happened in the Super Bowl and secondly, it happened when the odds were devastating. People can relate to that. My dream and passion was the catch the touchdown pass to win the game. But when I stand on stages and talk to people, how many people can relate to that? Nobody. How many people can relate to Leon Lett and never giving up? Everybody.
I look at it as God gave me a play that was going to be way more meaningful in my life today than winning a Super Bowl and scoring a touchdown. I am very happy about it. Sure, I wish we could have won but I am honored to be that person to be able to stand on a stage today and help people. It has given me so many opportunities which I am extremely grateful for to be able to use that play.
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