Bobby Hunt, a former standout player for Auburn and a participant in the first-ever Super Bowl, has died at the age of 85. His death was announced by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2015.
Hunt gained recognition in the 1960s as a quarterback and defensive back for the Auburn Tigers, appearing in 30 games. He was drafted by the Dallas Texans in the 1962 AFL Draft and quickly transitioned to safety. In his rookie season, he earned First-Team All-AFL honors and set a franchise record with eight interceptions.
The Texans relocated to Kansas City in 1963, becoming the Chiefs. Hunt played with the Chiefs for six seasons, starting in Super Bowl I in 1967. The Chiefs lost that game 35-10 to the Green Bay Packers.
During his tenure with the Chiefs, Hunt recorded four interceptions in a single game in 1964, a record that remains in the league to this day. After leaving the Chiefs, he played two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before retiring from professional football.
Following his playing career, Hunt briefly served as the Buffalo Bills' defensive backs coach for two seasons from 1970 to 1971. He later worked for the Haggar clothing company before retiring to Charlotte, North Carolina.
In a 2016 interview, Hunt reflected on Super Bowl I, stating, "We saw [Packers stars] Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke and all those guys. It wasn’t that we were afraid of them. We played well in the first half, but they had an interception right at the start of the second half and kind of got away from us."