Dial attended Rice University and played as a two-way end on the football team. In 1956, he had 21 receptions for 357 yards, five touchdowns, and was selected sophomore lineman of the year in the Southwest Conference. In 1957, he made 21 receptions for 508 yards, four touchdowns, and was named All-Southwest Conference. He contributed to Rice winning the conference championship in the Cotton Bowl Classic, and was named to the All-Bowl All-Star team. In 1958, he caught 19 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns. He was the team's co-captain and Most Valuable Player. He also received consensus All-American and the Columbus Touchdown Club Lineman of the Year honors. Dial recorded 61 receptions for 1,129 yards in his college career. He also posted 13 career receiving touchdowns, tying the school record set by James "Froggie" Williams. In 1971, he was inducted into the Rice Athletics Hall of Fame. In 1993, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Dial was selected by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1959 NFL Draft. He was waived before the start of the season on September 22, 1959.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On September 24, 1959, Dial was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Steelers, teaming him with quarterbackBobby Layne. In 1960, Dial set a team record by having a 24.3-yard average per reception. He tallied 40 receptions for 972 yards and nine touchdowns. In 1961, Dial registered 53 receptions for 1,047 yards, a 19.8-yard average, and 12 touchdowns. He became the first player in team history to gain 1,000 receiving yards and also set a team record with 235 receiving yards in the sixth game against the Cleveland Browns, including the longest pass play in Steelers history. He set a franchise record by scoring at least one touchdown in 11 consecutive games. In 1962, he recorded 50 receptions for 981 and six touchdowns. After scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys, a loud cannon charge was set off in front of him as he ran into the endzone; this was memorialized by NFL Films as one of the league's greatest follies. The team made the Playoff Bowl, losing 10-17 against the Detroit Lions. In 1963, he collected 60 receptions for 1,295 yards, a 21.6-yard average and 9 touchdowns. On January 1, 1964, with the team looking to shore up its defense, Dial was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for first-round draft choiceScott Appleton, who was selected by the Cowboys after previously agreeing to the deal with the Steelers. Appleton ended up signing with the Houston Oilers of the American Football League, who had also drafted him in the first round. The persistence both teams showed in their attempts to sign Appleton became known as the "Buddy Dial for Nothing" trade. Dial left with team records of 229 receptions for 4,723 receiving yards, 42 touchdown receptions, single-season touchdown receptions, single-game receiving yards, single-season receiving yards, career yard-per-reception average and single-season yards-per-reception. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection. In 2018, he was inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor.
Dallas Cowboys
In 1964, Dial started in one game, after being limited with a thigh injury he suffered in training camp that required surgery. He registered 11 receptions for 178 yards and one touchdown. His best game came against the Steelers, in which he tallied five receptions for 100 yards. In 1965, he started seven games, before being passed on the depth chart by second-year player Peter Gent. Dial recorded 17 receptions for 283 yards and one touchdown in the season. In 1966, he was a backup behind Gent, starting in three games, while making 14 receptions for 252 yards and one touchdown. In 1967, he was placed on the injured reserve list after having back surgery. He announced his retirement in 1968. Dial finished his career with 261 receptions for 5,436 yards, a 20.8-yard average, 44 touchdowns, and four carries for 14 yards.
Personal life
Dial started Christian devotional services with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. While playing for the Steelers, he recorded an album of inspirational songs called "Buddy Dial Sings on Word Records." In 1966, he recorded a single with Challenge Records 59352, called Baby/Back In The Old Days. It became a hit in various regional areas, topping the Dallas KLIF radio charts in late 1966 and early 1967, but failed to make the national charts. Injuries during his NFL career led to significant health problems brought on by the abuse of painkilling drugs, before receiving treatment in the late 1980s. On February 29, 2008, he died at the age of 71, of complications from prostate cancer and pneumonia.
