Don Beebe
Aurora Spartans | |||||||
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Position: | Head coach | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Aurora, Illinois,U.S. | December 18, 1964||||||
Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Maple Park (IL) Kaneland | ||||||
College: | Western Illinois Chadron St. Aurora | ||||||
NFL draft: | 1989/ round: 3 / pick: 82 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
As a player: | |||||||
As a coach: | |||||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Head coaching record | |||||||
Regular season: | 42–5 (.894) | ||||||
Postseason: | 3–4 (.429) | ||||||
Career: | 45–9 (.833) | ||||||
Player stats atPFR |
Donald Lee Beebe(born December 18, 1964) is an Americancollege footballcoach and formerwide receiver.He is the head football coach forAurora University,a position he has held since 2019. He previously played in theNational Football League(NFL) for nine seasons, primarily with theBuffalo Bills.In addition to his six seasons with the Bills, who selected him in the third round of the1989 NFL draft,he was a member of theCarolina Panthersduring their inaugural season and played for theGreen Bay Packersin his last two seasons.
A member of the Bills teams that lost four consecutiveSuper Bowls,Beebe achieved recognition for preventing an opposing touchdown by forcing a fumble inSuper Bowl XXVII,despite the Bills facing an insurmountable deficit. He made two further Super Bowl appearances with the Packers and was part of the team winningSuper Bowl XXXI.Beebe pursued a coaching career after retirement and was hired as Aurora's head football coach in 2019.
Early life
[edit]Beebe is one of five children of Don and Barb Beebe.[1]He attendedKaneland High SchoolinMaple Park, Illinoiswhere he lettered inbasketball,trackandfootball,graduating in 1983.[1]After attendingWestern Illinois University,he transferred toChadron State Collegein Nebraska, where he set several school football records his senior year and ran a 6.3 60-yard dash on the indoor track team.[2]
In his sole season with Chadron State, Beebe caught 49 passes for 906 yards and rushed 10 times for 81. He became the first player in school history to score a touchdown in every game, while also setting single-season school records for most all-purpose yards (1,661), points scored (90), and touchdowns (15). In 2000, Beebe was inducted into Chadron State's athletic hall of fame.[3]
As of 2020, he still holds the following Chadron State football records:[4]
- Most touchdown receptions in a game: 4 vs. Black Hills State, 1988
- Most touchdowns scored: 5 vs. Black Hills State, 1988
- Kick Returns and Kick Return Yards in a season: 29 for 722 yards, 1988
NFL career
[edit]Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 ft10+3⁄4in (1.80 m) |
176 lb (80 kg) |
33+5⁄8in (0.85 m) |
10 in (0.25 m) |
4.42 s | 1.53 s | 2.59 s | 4.08 s | 36.5 in (0.93 m) |
9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) | |||
All values from NFL Combine[5][6] |
Beebe was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round (82nd pick overall) of the1989 NFL draft.[7][8]He posted impressive statistics in speed and agility drills at the 1989 pre-draft combine.[9]
In his nine NFL seasons, Beebe caught 219 passes for 3,416 yards, rushed for 28 yards, returned 81 kickoffs for 1,735 yards, and scored 25 touchdowns (23 receiving, one kickoff return, and one fumble recovery). He appeared in five Super Bowls as a player:XXVI,XXVII,andXXVIIIwith theBuffalo Bills(missingXXVdue to injury) andXXXIandXXXIIwith Green Bay. While Buffalo lost its four consecutive title games, Beebe ultimately won a Super Bowl with the Packers in XXXI.
Beebe is well known for making one of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl history during XXVII against theDallas Cowboys.In the game's fourth quarter, Cowboysdefensive tackleLeon Lettrecovered a Billsfumbleand advanced the ball toward the end zone. However, Lett began to celebrate prematurely by holding the ball out to his right side. Although the Bills were losing 52–17 at the time, a relentless Beebe streaked down the field and knocked the ball out of Lett's hands just before he crossed the goal line.[10]The loose ball went through the end zone and out of bounds for atouchbackand prevented a Dallastouchdown,which would have given them a Super Bowl-record 58 points, plus (presumably) an extra point kick. Beebe also caught two passes for 50 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown reception fromFrank Reichearlier in the game.
Beebe played one season for theCarolina Panthersin 1995 before finishing his career with the Packers. With injuries ravaging the Packers' receiving corps in 1996, Beebe ended up being the Packers' second-leading receiver, with 39 receptions, 699 receiving yards, 4 touchdown receptions, as well as the only kickoff return touchdown of his career. His standout game came in an overtime battle against the San Francisco 49ers, where Beebe had 11 receptions for 220 yards and one touchdown in a 23–20 Packer victory.
NFL career statistics
[edit]Legend | |
---|---|
Won theSuper Bowl | |
Bold | Career high |
Regular season
[edit]Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Kick Returns | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
1989 | BUF | 14 | 0 | 17 | 317 | 18.6 | 63 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 16 | 353 | 22.1 | 85 | 0 |
1990 | BUF | 12 | 4 | 11 | 221 | 20.1 | 49 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 23 | 0 | 6 | 119 | 19.8 | 27 | 0 |
1991 | BUF | 11 | 7 | 32 | 414 | 12.9 | 34 | 6 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 121 | 17.3 | 24 | 0 |
1992 | BUF | 12 | 8 | 33 | 554 | 16.8 | 65 | 2 | 1 | -6 | -6.0 | -6 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – |
1993 | BUF | 14 | 14 | 31 | 504 | 16.3 | 65 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 10 | 160 | 16.0 | 22 | 0 |
1994 | BUF | 13 | 11 | 40 | 527 | 13.2 | 72 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 230 | 19.2 | 35 | 0 |
1995 | CAR | 14 | 1 | 14 | 152 | 10.9 | 24 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 215 | 23.9 | 38 | 0 |
1996 | GB | 16 | 6 | 39 | 699 | 17.9 | 80 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 15 | 403 | 26.9 | 90 | 1 |
1997 | GB | 10 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 14.0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 6 | 134 | 22.3 | 39 | 0 |
Career | 116 | 51 | 219 | 3,416 | 15.6 | 80 | 23 | 4 | 28 | 7.0 | 23 | 0 | 81 | 1,735 | 21.4 | 90 | 1 |
Postseason
[edit]Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Kick Returns | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
1989 | BUF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 53 | 26.5 | 32 | 0 |
1990 | BUF | 0 | 0 | did not play due to injury | |||||||||
1991 | BUF | 3 | 2 | 11 | 144 | 13.1 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
1992 | BUF | 4 | 3 | 12 | 186 | 15.5 | 40 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – |
1993 | BUF | 3 | 3 | 9 | 88 | 9.8 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 71 | 23.7 | 34 | 0 |
1996 | GB | 3 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 25 | 0 |
1997 | GB | 0 | 0 | DNP | |||||||||
Career | 14 | 8 | 35 | 466 | 13.3 | 43 | 3 | 7 | 149 | 21.3 | 34 | 0 |
Coaching career
[edit]In 1998, Beebe founded House of Speed, LLC,[11]a company that specializes in training athletes in the essentials of top performance, speed and character. House of Speed began franchise operations in 2006 and has locations in eleven states. Beebe also works with several professional, collegiate and amateur sports organizations in the area of speed, including theChicago Bears,theLos Angeles Rams,theUniversity of Illinois Fighting Illiniand Club Fusion Volleyball.
In 2004, Beebe began coaching football forAurora Christian SchoolsinAurora, Illinois.[12]He—along with his brother, defensive coordinator David Beebe, and brother Dan, the school's athletic director—led the Eagles to the school's first state championship appearance in 2008, where the team finished as 4A state runner-up after losing to Bloomington Central Catholic 37–28.[13]Three years later Beebe and the Eagles returned to the finals, this time winning the 2011IHSAClass 3A State Championship with a 34–7 win over Mt. Carmel. In 2012, Beebe led the Eagles to a second straight IHSA Class 3A State Championship by defeating Tolono-Unity 42–12 before stepping down as coach after the 2013 season and an overall 97–26 record. His brother succeeded him as head coach.[14]
In November 2018, Beebe was named the head coach atAurora University,replacingRick Ponx,who was fired just the day before.[15][16]
Personal life
[edit]In 2000,Chadron Staterenamed its renovated football stadium after Beebe, calling it Elliott Field at Don Beebe Stadium.[17]
Beebe wrote a book with Denise Crosby titledSix Rings from Nowhere.[18]As of 2014, a deal was in the works to develop the book into a feature film about Beebe's life and Christian faith.[14][19]
Beebe's son,Chad,was a wide receiver forNorthern Illinois University,[14]a wide receiver for theMinnesota VikingsNFL team from 2018 to 2022, and was a wide receiver for theHouston Texansin 2022.[20]
Head coaching record
[edit]College
[edit]Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | D3# | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aurora Spartans(Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference)(2019–present) | |||||||||
2019 | Aurora | 9–2 | 7–0 | 1st | LNCAA Division III First Round | 24 | |||
2020–21 | Aurora | 3–0 | 3–0 | T–1st | |||||
2021 | Aurora | 8–3 | 8–0 | 1st | LNCAA Division III First Round | ||||
2022 | Aurora | 11–2 | 8–0 | 1st | LNCAA Division III Quarterfinal | 13 | |||
2023 | Aurora | 11–1 | 8–0 | 1st | LNCAA Division III Second Round | 13 | |||
2024 | Aurora | 3–1 | 2–0 | 19 | |||||
Aurora: | 45–9 | 36–0 | |||||||
Total: | 45–9 | ||||||||
National championshipConference titleConference division title or championship game berth |
References
[edit]- ^abOberhelman, Dave (November 21, 2012)."Beebe brothers a winning combination at Aurora Christian".Daily Herald.Arlington Heights, Illinois.
- ^Mitchell, Fred (February 9, 2013)."Beebe knows how often major college recruiters miss prospects".Chicago Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon April 24, 2013.RetrievedOctober 9,2021.
- ^"Don Beebe (2000) - Chadron State College Athletic Hall of Fame".
- ^"Chadron State College Football Records".Chadron State College.RetrievedOctober 9,2021.
- ^"Don Beebe, Combine Results, WR - Chadron State (NE)".nflcombineresults.com.RetrievedApril 5,2022.
- ^"Don Beebe RAS".ras.football.December 30, 2019.RetrievedApril 5,2022.
- ^"1989 NFL Draft Listing".Pro-Football-Reference.com.RetrievedMay 26,2023.
- ^"1989 - Round 3".NFL.com.National Football League. Archived fromthe originalon April 19, 2008.RetrievedOctober 9,2021.
- ^Wojciechowski, Gene (October 15, 1989)."He's Making Beeline to Recognition: Bills: Buffalo wide receiver Don Beebe has caught NFL defensive backs off guard with both his speed and ability".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedDecember 19,2013.
- ^Jackson, Kevin; Merron, Jeff; Schoenfield, David."100 Greatest Super Bowl Moments: #11 All hustle".ESPN Page 2.RetrievedOctober 9,2021.
- ^"About".HouseofSpeed.com.Archived fromthe originalon November 30, 2010.RetrievedNovember 29,2010.
- ^"Head Coach: Don Beebe".Aurora Christian Schools.Archived fromthe originalon February 10, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 20,2012.
- ^"Aurora Christian Football History".MaxPreps.RetrievedOctober 9,2021.
- ^abcOberhelman, Dave (December 13, 2013)."Beebe steps down at Aurora Christian".Daily Herald.Arlington Heights, Illinois.
- ^"NFL icon Don Beebe named as new head coach for Aurora University Football".AU Today.Aurora University. November 15, 2018. Archived fromthe originalon November 16, 2018.RetrievedOctober 9,2021.
- ^Armstrong, Rick (November 13, 2018)."Blue Monday: Aurora University fires football coach Rick Ponx and majority of his staff without comment".The Beacon-News.Aurora, Illinois.RetrievedJanuary 7,2021.
- ^"Elliott Field at Don Beebe Stadium".Chadron State College Athletics.
- ^"Six Rings From Nowhere - Don Beebe".sixringsfromnowhere.com.
- ^Schwab, Jay (July 6, 2014)."Beebe moving forward on movie project".Daily Chronicle.DeKalb, Illinois.RetrievedJanuary 7,2021.
- ^"Chad Beebe, WR #12".Minnesota Vikings.RetrievedOctober 9,2021.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Aurora Spartans bio
- House Of Speed—sports and training performance company run by Beebe
- Career statistics and player information fromNFL.com·Pro Football Reference
- 1964 births
- Living people
- Players of American football from Aurora, Illinois
- People from Chadron, Nebraska
- American football wide receivers
- Aurora Spartans football coaches
- Buffalo Bills players
- Carolina Panthers players
- Chadron State Eagles football players
- Green Bay Packers players
- Western Illinois Leathernecks football players
- College men's track and field athletes in the United States
- High school football coaches in Illinois
- Track and field athletes from Illinois