Russ Francis

Russ Francis (April 3, 1953 – October 1, 2023) was a tight end who spent 13 seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. Standing 6 ft 6 in, he finished his career with 393 receptions for 5,262 yards and 40 touchdowns. Before football, Francis attended the University of Oregon and was an accomplished track and field athlete, setting the national high school javelin record in 1971 at 259 feet, 9 inches — a mark that stood until 1988. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and named to the PFRA Hall of Very Good in 2021.