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“Take pride in exactly what it is you do and remember it’s okay to fail as long as you don’t give up.”

- Davey O’Brien

The Early Years

Davey O’Brien was born in Dallas, Texas on June 22, 1917. By 1932, he was a 118-pound, five-foot-seven All-State selection who led Woodrow Wilson High School to the Texas state playoffs.

After enrolling at TCU in 1935, O’Brien sat behind Hall of Fame quarterback Sammy Baugh for two years before earning the starting job. In 1938, O’Brien led the Horned Frogs to their first undefeated season and the National Championship Title.

He amassed remarkable accolades as a college athlete – named to 13 All-America teams and the first player to win the Heisman, Maxwell and Walter Camp trophies in the same year – but even more impressive was the leadership he exerted, the competitive spirit and sportsmanship he displayed, his dedication to excellence and his ability to inspire others to excel. 

The Pro Years

After graduating from TCU, O’Brien signed a $10,000 contract with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). In his rookie season with the Eagles, he passed for 1,324 yards in 11 games, breaking fellow TCU alum, Baugh’s, NFL record and was named first-team quarterback on the NFL’s All-Star Team. The Eagles gave him a $2,000 raise, but he retired after the 1940 season to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

After completing his training, he was assigned to the bureau’s field office in Springfield, Mo. O’Brien was a firearms instructor at Quantico, Va., and spent the last five years of his FBI career in Dallas. He retired from the bureau in 1950 and went to work for Haroldson L. Hunt in land development. He later entered the oil business working for Dresser-Atlas Industries of Dallas.

Davey O’Brien was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1956. In 1971, he was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery to remove a kidney and part of his right lung.

In November 1977, just before O’Brien passed away from cancer, his friend Charles Ringler and other members of The Fort Worth Club established the Davey O’Brien Foundation and the Davey O’Brien Memorial Trophy to commemorate his legacy.

He finished his courageous battle with cancer on November 18, 1977.