Jim Root (gridiron football)

Jim Root
No. 9, 99, 17
PositionQuarterback
Personal information
Born(1931-08-17)August 17, 1931
Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
DiedMay 26, 2003(2003-05-26) (aged 71)
Orange Park, Florida, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High schoolLibbey (Toledo)
CollegeMiami (OH)
NFL draft1953: 23rd round, 268th overall pick
Career history
Playing
Coaching
Career NFL statistics
TDINT11–16
Passing yards1,482
Passer rating51
Stats at Pro Football Reference

James Frederic Root (August 17, 1931 – May 26, 2003) was an American gridiron football player and coach. He played professionally as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons with the Chicago Cardinals (1953, 1956) and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for one season with the Ottawa Rough Riders (1954). Root served as the head football coach at the University of New Hampshire from 1968 to 1971 and at the College of William & Mary from 1972 to 1979, compiling a career college football record of 57–62–2 in 12 seasons. Root was a native of Toledo, Ohio. He played college football at Miami University under Woody Hayes and Ara Parseghian. Root began his coaching career in 1958 as the backfield coach at Tulane University. He moved to the University of Miami as backfield coach in 1960. Root then coached for one season, in 1964, as offensive backfield coach at Dartmouth College, before moving to Yale University, where he served in the same capacity for three seasons.