Back to search

Lee Roy Selmon

Defensive Tackle

Inducted 1988

Date of Birth

10/20/1954

Birthplace

Eufaula, OK

School

University of Oklahoma (1972-1975)

Bio

Lee Roy Selmon's history combines the virtues of family, football, scholarship and community service. First, family; he is the youngest of nine children of Lucious and Jessie Selmon, raised on a farm at Eufaula, Oklahoma. Second, football; he was one of three brothers who played for Oklahoma. All three made All-America. One year, 1973, Lucious Jr., Dewey and Lee Roy were all starters in OU's defensive line. Lee Roy won the Outland and Lombardi Awards as the nation's best lineman. In his three years as a starter, Oklahoma went 32-1-1 and won two national championships. Third, scholarship; he was named a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete in 1975. Selmon earned his degree in education. Fourth, service; In college, Lee Roy devoted ten hours per week to volunteer projects. After college, he settled in Tampa, played nine years with the Buccaneers, was all-pro three times, and started a business career. By 1988, he had become an Account Relations Officer for Tampa's First Florida Bank, and worked with these groups: Special Olympics, Easter Seals, Baptist Church, Ronald McDonald House, United Negro College Fund, South Florida Institute on Black Life, Hall of Fame Bowl Committee. No wonder that in 1982 the Junior Chamber of Commerce named him one of the nation's ten outstanding young men. In 1993, he joined the University of South Florida as associate director of athletics. He was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988, the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 1994, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.