Ron Burton


Ronald E. Burton was an American football player in the American Football League for the Boston Patriots. He was a consensus All-American running back at Northwestern University, and is a member of the Northwestern Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame.

Playing career

Northwestern Wildcats

Burton was a star on Ara Parseghian's late 1950s Northwestern Wildcats football teams. Named all-Big Ten in 1958 and 1959, and All-America in 1959, Burton left Northwestern having broken school records for most points in a career, most points in a season, most touchdowns in a career. Burton led Northwestern in all-purpose yards in 1957, 1958, and 1959. Burton finished 10th in the 1959 Heisman Trophy balloting.

Boston Patriots

Burton was the Boston Patriots' first-ever American Football League draft choice in 1960. He was the first Patriot to rush for over 100 yards: 127 against the Denver Broncos on October 23, 1960, as well as numerous other firsts for the Patriots. His 91-yard touchdown return on a missed field goal in 1962 remains a Patriot record. He compiled 1,009 combined yards in rushing and receiving in 1962, and provided strong depth at running back for the Patriots from 1960 through 1965.
Statistics:
Ron Burton Sr.
New England Patriots 1960-1965
All-Time Leader in Punt ReturnsYears: 1960-’65 NO: 56 FC: 0 YDS: 389AVG: 6.9 LG 62 TD: 0
Year-by-Year Leader in Punt ReturnsYear: 1965 NO: 15 YDS: 61 AVG: 4.1 LG 12 TD: 0
Year-by-Year Leader in RushingYear: 1962 ATT: 134 YDS: 548 AVG: 4.0 LG: 59 TD: 2

Death

In 2003, Burton died from multiple myeloma. At the time of his death, he was living in Framingham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. His sons are Ron Burton Jr., a director of community relations for the Red Sox, Paul Burton, a reporter for WBZ-TV, and Steve Burton who is the Sports Director for WBZ-TV in Boston and a frequent guest on WEEI-FM sports radio.