Roosevelt Grier also known as Rosey Grier is a former American football player. He is noted for his time with the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Rams. Following the end of his athletic career, the 92-year-old switched to TV presenting, acting, and singing and later became an ordained protestant minister. As a presenter, he hosted the Rosey Grie Show. Apart from this, Grier is notable for his needlework, a skill that he promoted through his 1973 book, Rosey Grier’s Needlepoint for Men.
Roosevelt Grier was Named after Former US President Roosevelt
Roosevelt Grier was born on July 14, 1932, in Cuthbert, Georgia. At birth, his parents chose to name him after Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 13th US president. Understandably, Roosevelt or FDR came to power shortly after Grier was born, however, he is remarkably for a stellar political career that saw him occupy positions like the governor of New York from 1929 to 1932.
He grew up together with eleven siblings but, not much is known about them.
Regarding other details about his background, Grier showed an interest right from high school at Abraham Clark High School. Notably, he was a stellar player at Penn State University where he had records in other athletics events like discus and javelin.
Added to his love for sports, his hubby is needlework and he has since shared this aspect of his life in his 1973 book, Rosey Grier’s Needlepoint for Men.
He is Regarded as One of the Best Defensive Lines in Football History
As mentioned earlier, Grier showed skills in athletics in his younger years. Unsurprisingly, he chose football and made a name for himself as one of the best defense lines in NFL history.
So how was he able to achieve this feat? Grier was drafted as the 31 pick in the third round of the 1955 NFL draft by the New York Giants. While there, he put on quite a performance that saw him aid the team in reaching the NFL Championship of 1956 as well as other notable tournaments.
To show for his time, he was selected for the 1956 and 1960 Pro Bown and also got recognitions as the All-Pro in 1956. With such a track record, he became one of the most formidable and sought-after players in the league.
In 1963, he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams after eight seasons. While with the Rams, he continued to capture the attention of football aficionados. Standing at a height of 6ft 5 inches, he alongside Deacon James, Merlin Olsen, and Lamar Lundy earned the name Fearsome Foursome because of their defensive skills. While many were hopeful to see the tag of four play more, Grier was forced to retire in 1967 due to an injury to his archiless tendon.
The Former Player Cum Gospel Minister has Been Married to More Than Two Woman
From available records, we have gathered that Grie has a colorful love life that involves many marriages.
His first marriage was with Bernice Lewis and they tied the knot in 1962. However, not many details are about how they met and their exact marriage date. He is said to have adopted his wife’s daughter, Denise from a previous relationship before the marriage ended in 1978.
Moving on, the marriage ended in divorce and he got married to his second wife, Margie Grier whom he shares a son named Roosevelt. Details about when they got married are not clear but it is generally reported that the marriage ended in 1978.
Interestingly, the pair seemed to have worked out some of their differences as they soon came back and remarried again in 1980. Based on this, Grier is one of the few celebrities who has divorced and remarried an ex-wife. Others include rapper Eminem and Kim Scott, Judge Jerry Sheindlin and Judge Judy; Jean Claude Van Damme and Gladys Portugues; and Larry King and Alene Akins.
More on Rosey’s second marriage attempt with Margie, the second time was quite successful if one is to consider the more than three decades that they were together. They eventually divorced for the second time in 2011 making it his longest marriage so far.
At the moment, Rosey is on his third marriage with Cydnee Seyler whom he married in 2013.
What Happened to Grier after He Retired from Football?
Since he left professional football, Grier has been involved in many things including acting, singing, security, politics, needlework, gospel ministry, and inspirational work.
Shortly after his retirement, he became a host on KABC-TV weekly Rosey Grier Show. On the show, he discussed issues affecting the community, something that he was deeply passionate about. More on his screen time, Grier is credited with over 70 appearances across various TV shows, game shows, and movies. Notably, he appeared as a series regular in Daniel Boone starting in 1969 and movies like The Wild, Wild West(1967), and Sesame Street(1975).
Added to entertaining fans and supporters with screen roles, he is also a skilled singer. He released his initial singles on a label in 1960. After he retired from football, he dedicated more time and is notable for People Make the World(1968), a tribute to Robert Kennedy. The song which was written by Bobby Womack made it to the Charts at no. 128 in the same year making it his most successful song.
He worked as a Bodyguard for Robert Kennedy and was Present at the Senator’s Assassination
He became a bodyguard to US senator and friend, Robert Kennedy during the 1968 presidential campaign. Unfortunately, he was not able to save Kennedy when he was fatally shot by Sirhan Sirhan as he was protecting the senator’s wife, Ethel Kennedy at the time.
However, the huge former player was able to subdue the attacker before more damage could be done.
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The former L. A Rams defense lineman dabbles in politics
As mentioned earlier, one of the things that Grier has been involved in politics. Notably, he started as a Democrat and later became a Republican. Unsurprisingly he has campaigned for democrats like Kennedy and republicans like Ronald Reagan.
Aside from being a campaigner, he showed interest in running for governor of California in January 2017. However, this plan was stopped when he withdrew his candidacy in July of the same year. One would wonder what could have prompted his change of heart. It turns out that he withdrew after much ‘prayer, research, and counsel’.
Roosevelt Grier is also a gospel minister
Years after Grier retired from professional football, he moved to the gospel ministry. According to Wikipedia, he was ordained a minister in 1983 while sources like the L. A. Times have cited 1986 in several articles. Like his time as an athlete, he is notable for taking this aspect of his life seriously. Prior, he became a member of the Crenshaw Christian Center in 1978.
As a minister, he also works as an inspirational speaker as he travels the country. Some of his target audiences are inner city kids whom he trains with spiritual and educational programs at a nonprofit that he runs.
Also, he is the co-founder of American Neighborhood Enterprises, an organization that helps less privileged people buy homes and learn vocational skills.
Many do not consider his type of evangelism conventional but it has not stopped him from giving back to society while spreading the gospel.
No wonder, he made the headlines in 1994 when he was called to testify during the O.J. Simpson’s double murder trial of Nicole Simpson and her friend, Ronald Lyle Goldman.
Admittedly, he had gone to visit Simpson, also a former professional football player in jail to offer his support to him. But this drew the attention of the defense team who felt, Simpson may have divulged some information that would be crucial to the case.
Following this, the clergyman was made to testify. The defense team argued that Simpson likely raised his voice during their conversation thereby waiving clergy privilege. However, Grier made it clear that they only prayed and shared Bible stories during their session together.
