Roman Gabriel stood out the moment he arrived in Los Angeles. At 6-foot-5 and more than 220 pounds, the North Carolina State product looked more like a linebacker than the second overall pick in the 1962 Draft. He spent his first few seasons sharing snaps with veterans Zeke Bratkowski and Bill Munson before new head coach George Allen ended the competition in 1966 and named him the clear starter. Gabriel answered with a steady season and quickly built a reputation for protecting the ball in an era when interceptions were common. 

He found his rhythm in 1967 and earned the first of three consecutive Pro Bowl nods. That year he threw for 2,779 yards and 25 touchdowns as the Rams went 11-1-2. Gabriel combined a strong arm with enough size and toughness to run on short-yardage plays when the defense stacked the box. In 1969, he put together his best season with the club, throwing 24 touchdowns against only seven interceptions and winning NFL MVP. Los Angeles won 11 games and reached the playoffs, though the postseason run ended in a loss. 

From 1966 to 1972, Gabriel finished among the league’s top ten in passing yards in most seasons. He was a careful passer who still pushed the ball downfield, and the Rams’ strong defenses during those years made his steady play even more valuable. He stayed the primary quarterback into the early 1970s even as the supporting cast and coaching staff shifted around him.

After the 1972 season, Gabriel left Los Angeles and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. With the Rams, he threw for 22,223 yards and 154 touchdowns. Those numbers stood as franchise records for years, and the touchdown total remains the highest in team history.

Gabriel earned four Pro Bowl selections in his career, three of them with the Rams, along with the 1969 MVP award. He took longer than most high draft picks to become the full-time starter, but once he did, he gave Los Angeles one of the more reliable and productive quarterbacks of that era.