Pat Riley Sr. 1995 NFL second round 52nd overall Chicago Bears
Riley was a defensive tackle at Miami playing next to Warren Sapp. Miami rewarded Riley with letters from 1991 through 1994. In the four seasons with Riley on the Miami defensive line, the Hurricanes finished 42-6. Miami signed Riley in the 1991 class out of Marrero, Louisiana Archbishop Shaw.
Riley played for Miami at 6’6, 293 pounds in his final season. At Archbishop Shaw Riley was a USA Today High School All-American. Riley played with a shoulder injury as a sophomore and was expected to have a breakout junior season but reportedly showed up to training camp out of shape.
After Riley got in shape, Sapp had already emerged as a star. A torn ACL cost Riley most of his senior season. Riley played in only one game in his NFL career as a rookie in 1995. The Bears finished the season 9-7 but missed the playoffs after winning a postseason game in 1994.
Riley’s son Patrick played four seasons at FCS McNeese State recording 12 tackles, three TFLs, three sacks and a fumble recovery. Many Hurricanes from the championship era had sons who later played college football, many at Miami. Riley’s brother Michael played at Tulane and was a sixth-round N.Y. Jets draft pick.