20 Facts About Jay Novacek

Jay Novacek played college football for the Wyoming Cowboys and was selected by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the 1985 NFL draft.

Jay Novacek was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

Jay Novacek's jersey is the only one retired in school history.

Jay Novacek was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

Jay Novacek accepted a scholarship from the University of Wyoming in Laramie and started his college football career as a split end with the Wyoming Cowboys.

Jay Novacek had few opportunities to prove his true worth in head coach Al Kincaid's run-oriented wishbone offense, where the team usually threw around 18 passes per game.

In 1984, Jay Novacek posted 33 receptions for 745 yards, 4 touchdowns and set an NCAA single-season record for average per reception by a tight end.

Jay Novacek was selected to the honorable-mention All-American football team and to the Western Athletic Conference first-team.

Jay Novacek finished his college career with 83 career receptions for 1,536 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Jay Novacek won the WAC decathlon championship and placed fourth in the NCAA championships, earning All-American honors in track.

Jay Novacek set the school record for decathlon points and in the pole vault jump.

Jay Novacek competed in the 1984 Olympic trials as a decathlete.

Jay Novacek was selected in the sixth round of the 1985 NFL draft by the St Louis Cardinals.

Jay Novacek was selected by the Houston Gamblers in the fifth round of the 1985 USFL Draft.

Jay Novacek finished the season with 20 receptions for 254 yards and 3 touchdowns, producing just 2 receptions in his first two seasons and only 22 after three years.

In 1988, the Cardinals franchise moved to Phoenix and even though Awalt remained the starter at tight end, Jay Novacek still ranked third on the team with 569 receiving yards and 4 receiving touchdowns.

Jay Novacek was named the starter at tight end, even though the Cowboys acquired Awalt to compete for the position.

Jay Novacek would go on to have a break-out season, becoming one of the league's top receiving tight ends, while registering 59 receptions for 657 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Jay Novacek was a key contributor for the offense in the early 1990s, especially on third downs where he could find the soft spot in the defense.

Jay Novacek came up big in the post-season, ranking third in franchise playoff history in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions.