{{Short description|American football player and coach (1936–2010)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Use American English|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Jim Wagstaff | number = 49, 22 | position = Safety | birth_date = {{birth date|1936|6|12}} | birth_place = American Falls, Idaho, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2010|9|28|1936|6|12}} | death_place = Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 2 | weight_lb = 192 | high_school = American Falls | college = Idaho State | draftyear = 1958 | draftround = 21 | draftpick = 253 | pastteams = * Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1958}}-1959)* * Chicago Cardinals ({{NFL Year|1959}}) * Buffalo Bills (1960–1961) | pastcoaching = * Boise State (1969–1972) <br> Defensive coordinator * Los Angeles Rams ({{NFL Year|1973|1977}}) <br> Defensive backfield coach * Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1978|1980}}) <br> Defensive backfield coach * San Diego Chargers ({{NFL Year|1981|1985}}) <br> Defensive backfield coach | highlights = * Second-team All-AFL (1960) * All-RMC (1957) | statleague = AFL | statlabel1 = Interceptions | statvalue1 = 9 | statlabel2 = Touchdowns | statvalue2 = 1 | pfr = W/WagsJi20 }}
'''Jim Wagstaff''' (June 12, 1936 — September 28, 2010) was an American professional football player and coach. He played as a safety in the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). He was later an assistant coach.
Wagstaff played college football for Idaho State Bengals. He played in the NFL for the Chicago Cardinals before joining the AFL's Buffalo Bills. He earned second-team All-AFL honors in 1960. After his playing career, he was a defensive coordinator in college for the Boise State Broncos before becoming a secondary coach in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers
==Early life== Wagstaff was born and grew up in American Falls, Idaho and attended American Falls High School.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.idahostatejournal.com/members/fan-tastic-obsession-couple-attends-all-but-1-isu-home-football-game-since-1970/article_5e17828c-1851-11e3-8463-001a4bcf887a.html|title=Fan-tastic obsession: Couple attends all but 1 ISU home football game since 1970|work=Idaho State Journal|first=Michael H.|last=O'Donnell|date=September 8, 2013}}</ref>
==College career== Wagstaff was a member of the Idaho State Bengals for four seasons, joining the team as a walk-on. He played quarterback, halfback and defensive back. He was named All-Rocky Mountain Conference as a senior. Wagstaff was also a four-year member of the Idaho State track team.<ref>{{cite book|title=Boise State College 1970 Press Book|chapter=The Assistants|page=5|year=1970}}</ref>
==Professional career== Wagstaff was selected in the 21st round of the 1958 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions but was cut during training camp. He took a high school coaching position in Idaho and was invited to Lions camp for a second straight season but was cut a second time after suffering a knee injury.<ref name="rockpile"/> Wagstaff was teaching until was signed by the Chicago Cardinals in November of the 1959 season after the team suffered numerous injuries at the defensive back position and played in two games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/idaho-state-journal-nov-04-1959-p-7/|title=Chicago Picks Up Jim Wagstaff For Added Defensive Strength|work=Idaho State Journal|publisher=NewspaperArchive.com|date=November 4, 1959}}</ref> He was re-signed by the Cardinals at the end of the season, but was cut on August 1, 1960.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-may-13-1960-3094315/|title=Wagstaff Signs With St. Louis Cards in NFL|work=Idaho State Journal|date=May 13, 1960|access-date=March 14, 2022|via=NewspaperArchive}}</ref>
Shortly after being released by the Cardinals, Wagstaff was signed by the Buffalo Bills of the newly-formed American Football League.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballresearchers.org/biography/Wagstaff_Jim.pdf|title=Jim Wagstaff|first=Budd|last=Bailey|publisher=Professional Football Researchers Association|access-date=March 14, 2022}}{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> Wagstaff was named All-AFL in his first season with the Bills after intercepting six passes and returning one for a touchdown. He intercepted three passes in 1961. Wagstaff retired from playing football after suffering a severe injury during training camp in 1962.<ref name="rockpile">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y51jDUrPVtYC&q=jim+wagstaff+all-afl&pg=PA515|title=Rockin' the Rockpile: The Buffalo Bills of the American Football League|first=Jeffrey J.|last=Miller|publisher=ECW Press|year=2007|isbn=9781550227970}}</ref><ref name="Obit">{{cite web|url=https://www.coltrinmortuary.com/obituary/4744643|title=James Burke Wagstaff Obituary|website=coltrinmortuary.com}}</ref>
==Coaching career and later life== After his playing career ended, Wagstaff earned a master's degree in education from Utah State University. After teaching and coaching football at Pocatello High and then Idaho Falls High, he was hired as the defensive coordinator at Boise State. Wagstaff was hired as the Los Angeles Rams defensive backs coach in 1973. He was hired by the Bills in 1978, where he remained until he was hired away by the San Diego Chargers in 1981.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ko3lAwAAQBAJ&q=jim+wagstaff+buffalo+bills&pg=PT40|title=Then Levy Said to Kelly--: The Best Buffalo Bills Stories Ever Told|first=Jim|last=Gehman|publisher=Triumph Books|year=2007|isbn=9781600780554|access-date=July 6, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/02/10/The-San-Diego-Chargers-have-named-Jim-Wagstaff-44/2534350629200/|title=The San Diego Chargers have named Jim Wagstaff, 44,...|website=United Press International|date=February 10, 1981|access-date=July 6, 2020}}</ref> After leaving coaching Wagstaff moved back to Idaho before moving to Kenai, Alaska, where he became the head football coach at Kenai Central High School. Wagstaff died on September 28, 2010.<ref name="Obit"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://isubengals.com/hof.aspx?hof=50&mobile=skip Idaho State Hall of Fame profile]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wagstaff, Jim}} Category:1936 births Category:2010 deaths Category:Buffalo Bills players Category:Detroit Lions players Category:Chicago Cardinals players Category:American football safeties Category:Idaho State Bengals football players Category:Players of American football from Idaho Category:Buffalo Bills coaches Category:Los Angeles Rams coaches Category:San Diego Chargers coaches Category:Idaho State Bengals men's track and field athletes Category:Boise State Broncos football coaches Category:Utah State University alumni