Former NFL star, Florida A&M coach Ken Riley dead at 72

Former Cincinnati Bengals standout Ken Riley, who was later a he coach and athletic director at his alma mater Florida A&M, died Sunday, university anunced. He was 72.

Riley played 15 seasons for Bengals as a defensive back, with 65 career interceptions for 596 yards and five touchdowns — all franchise records. interceptions rank fifth in NFL history. He also recovered 18 fumbles.

Before his NFL career, Riley was a four-year starter at quarterback for Rattlers.

"FAMU athletics and entire Rattler Nation is deeply sdened of passing of former FAMU football player, he coach, athletics director and NFL great Ken Riley,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha said in a statement. “We wish his family our deepest condolences.”

Riley, who was African American, was chosen in sixth round of 1969 NFL draft by Bengals, who under coach Paul Brown decided to convert him to cornerback. At time, black starting quarterbacks in NFL were all but unheard of. Riley retired in 1983.

Despite his accomplishments, Riley never me it into Pro Football Hall of Fame, although he is in Florida A&M and Black College Football halls of fame, and was one of 33 players named to Florida High School Association All-Century Team. He played in high school at Union Acemy in Bartow, Florida.

school said Riley died in Bartow. A cause of death was t released.

current Rattlers coach, Willie Simmons, said Riley will be missed.

“I woke up this morning with a heavy heart as I learned of passing of FAMU and NFL great Ken Riley,” Simmons said in a statement. “Coach Riley was one of first to welcome me to ‘FAMULY’ and having him speak to our team before our first Orange and Green game is definitely at top of my list of unforgettable moments as he coach here at FAMU."