National Football Foundation

Joe Romig was a star player at Colorado, playing both offensive guard and linebacker. At just 5-foot-ten and 190 pounds, he was small for his position, but Boulder, Colo., native earned a reputation as the strongest player on the team by a longshot. Romig was a three-time All-Conference selection and two-time All-America selection. In 1961, he led the Buffs as team captain, and he was sixth in the running for the Heisman Trophy. That same year he was also named the Lineman of the Year by United Press International. Romig is one of only three players in CU history to have his number (no. 67) retired, and he was named to the Colorado all-time team in 1989.

A physics major, Romig was able to maintain an astounding 3.87 GPA at Colorado. A two-time Academic All-America selection, he was also selected as a Rhodes Scholar in 1962. He received his master’s in physics from Oxford then returned to CU where he obtained a Ph.D. in astrogeophysics.

A real rocket scientist, Romig worked for Martin-Marietta Aerospace and Space Applications, Inc. where he contributed to the NASA Voyager project. He left Martin-Marietta, and he began consulting for venture capital firms, investigating fires and explosions. In his spare time, Romig taught astronomy in Colorado’s ongoing education program for 34 years. He also serves on many boards, including the American Association of Rhodes Scholars, New York Academy of Science, American Geophysical Union, International Association of Arson Investigators, National Fire Protection Association and the Mental Health Association of Colorado.

Romig is a member of several Halls of Fame, including the CU Athletics Hall of Fame (class of 1999), College Football Hall of Fame (class of 1984), Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (class of 1973) and GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame (class of 1989).