Chris Gilbert, a 1999 NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductee who starred as a running back at Texas from 1966-68, passed away Feb. 9 in Houston. He was 79.

"Chris Gilbert was a transformative figure in college football whose excellence helped define an era at Texas," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "He set the standard for running backs and played a key role in the Longhorns' success during the 1960s before going on to build an impressive career in business. Chris also remained deeply committed to giving back through his involvement with the NFF's Houston Chapter, and we are deeply indebted for his contributions. Our thoughts are with his family and the entire Longhorn community as we honor his formidable legacy."

The first player in NCAA history to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Gilbert rushed for 1,080 as a sophomore, 1,019 as a junior, 1,132 as a senior, totaling 3,231 career yards in 29 games for Texas from 1966-68. A consensus First Team All-America in 1968, he was All-Southwest Conference three times, and  he finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1968.

A key component during the formation of NFF College Football Hall of Fame coach Darrell Royal's Texas wishbone offense, Gilbert helped the Longhorns claim a Southwest Conference co-championship in 1968, finishing 9-1-1 and ranked No. 3 by the Associated Press and No. 5 by UPI. During his three seasons in Austin, Texas went 22-9-1.

His best games were for 245 yards against Baylor in 1966, 213 against Baylor in 1968, and 202 against Texas Christian in 1966. In that same Texas Christian game, Gilbert had a 96-yard run from scrimmage. 

Gilbert is one of only two Longhorns to earn team MVP honors for three consecutive years with NFF National Scholar-Athlete Colt McCoy (2007-09) as the other. In his career he returned 20 kickoffs, averaging 22.7 yards on each. For his career, he averaged 5.4 yards per rushing attempt and 107.7 yards per game. He scored 28 touchdowns in 29 games. Gilbert stood 5-11 in height and weighed 176.

Selected in the fifth round of the AFL Draft by the New York Jets, Gilbert opted to launch a successful business career as an investor and business executive in Houston. He became involved with the Houston Touchdown Club, and he played a key role in making the outpost a chapter of the National Football Foundation.

Born Oct. 16, 1946 in Houston, TX, Gilbert attended Spring Branch High School in Texas. He was inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor in 1978 and the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2024, he was honored with the PwC Doak Walker Legends Award, recognizing his accomplishments post football.