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"He was a true NFL success story," Bengals
president Mike Brown said. "He was a good person and I
considered him a good friend. With Bill, I respected everything
he said. I just took it as a given. He had an eye for players
and what they would develop into. If he said the guy was a good
player, then he was a good player; that's all I would need to
know. We will miss him."
Tobin served as GM of the Bears from 1987-92 and held the same
role with the Colts from 1994-96. He was the Detroit Lions'
director of player personnel from 2001-02.
"Rest in peace, Bill Tobin, our GM from '94-96," Colts owner Jim
Irsay wrote on Twitter. "Bill was a tough, old-time football
man, starting as a player in the old AFL. He lived a magical
life associated with the game he loved, and our league will miss
him. My love and prayers for Bill's family."
During his 27 years in NFL front offices with Chicago,
Indianapolis and Detroit, Tobin's teams drafted eight future
Hall of Famers, according to the Bengals' news release. That
includes two Colts' first-rounders, running back Marshall Faulk
in 1994 and receiver Marvin Harrison in 1996.
Tobin's son, Duke, has been the Bengals' director of player
personnel since 1999.
Tobin's brother, Vince, was the head coach of the Arizona
Cardinals from 1996-2000.
Bill Tobin was a running back at Missouri and was drafted in the
14th round by the San Francisco 49ers in 1963. He played in 10
games (eight starts) with the Houston Oilers in 1963, rushing
for 271 yards and four touchdowns and catching 13 passes for 173
yards and one score.
--Field Level Media
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