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Don Rives

Don Rives may have been small in stature and was from the small town of Wheeler, but his football accomplishments were anything but small. In the 1960s, he and twin brother Ron were standouts for the Mustangs at a number of positions, and were good enough to be offered by numerous major colleges before they selected Texas Tech.

With freshmen ineligible for varsity in 1969, Rives stepped onto the scene in 1970 in Jim Carlen’s first year as Tech head coach and was a three-year starter. He was named to the Southwest Conference all-sophomore team which set the stage for the next two years. 

He was All-SWC in 1971. Then as a senior in 1972, on an 8-3 Sun Bowl team, Rives was not only All-SWC, but he was Tech’s 10th All-American on the country’s second team. That season he was named the Raiders’ MVP and would eventually be named by Texas Football Magazine to the SWC’s All-Decade Team of the 1970s.

Rives was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 15th round. Most players are cut when drafted that late, but Rives stuck at linebacker.  He played six seasons and 74 games for the Bears, starting 42 of those games.  Rives succeeded the legendary Dick Butkus when he retired in 1974.

After his playing career, Rives returned to the Texas Panhandle, most of that time spent as a coach and teacher. In 2006, he was inducted into the Texas Tech Athletic Hall of Fame. He and wife Sammye have three grown children and eight grandchildren. He lives in Granbury.