{{Short description|Argentine gridiron football player (1943–2023)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image         =
| caption       =
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 3
| weight_lbs    = 265
| position      = [[Tackle (gridiron football position)|Offensive tackle]], <br> [[Guard (gridiron football)|Guard]]
| number        = 76, 75, 65
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1943|5|8}}
| birth_place   = [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]]
| death_date    = {{death date and age|2023|3|13|1943|5|8}}
| death_place   =
| high_school   = [[Farmington High School (New Mexico)|Farmington (NM)]]
| college       = [[Tulsa Golden Hurricane football|Tulsa]]
| draftyear     = 1965
| draftround    = 2
| draftpick     = 21<br>(by the [[Washington Redskins]])<ref name="dbfb_2011_waredskins"/>
| afldraftyear  = 1965
| afldraftround = [[1965 American Football League draft#Round five|5]]
| afldraftpick  = 33<br>([[Denver Broncos]])<ref name="rtafl_2004_1965draft"/>
| pastteams     =
* [[Denver Broncos]] ([[1965 AFL season|1965]]–[[1967 AFL season|1967]])
* [[Minnesota Vikings]] ({{NFL Year|1967}})
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|1968}})
* [[Atlanta Falcons]] ({{NFL Year|1969}}–{{NFL Year|1970}})
| highlights    = 
* 2× [[Missouri Valley Conference|All-MVC]] (1963, 1964)
| statlabel1    = Games played
| statvalue1    = 58
| statlabel2    = Games started
| statvalue2    = 40
| nflnew        = bobbreitenstein/2510136
| pfr           = BreiBo20
}}

'''Robert Corr Breitenstein''' (May 8, 1943 – March 13, 2023) was a professional [[American football]] player in the [[American Football League]] and [[National Football League]] for the [[Denver Broncos]], [[Minnesota Vikings]], and [[Atlanta Falcons]]. He played [[college football]] at the [[University of Tulsa]]. He is distinguished as being the first [[Argentine]] to play in the [[National Football League]].

==Early years==
Breitenstein attended [[Farmington High School (New Mexico)|Farmington High School]], where he was a teammate of future [[NFL]] player [[Ralph Neely]].<ref name="tulsaworld_19910530_halloffame" />

Breitenstein accepted a scholarship from the [[University of Tulsa]] and was a part of the team that defeated [[1964 Ole Miss Rebels football team|Ole Miss]], 14-7 in the [[1964 Bluebonnet Bowl]].

In 1994, he was inducted into the [[University of Tulsa]] Athletic Hall of Fame.

==Professional career==
===Denver Broncos===
Breitenstein was selected in the fifth round (33rd overall) of the [[1965 AFL draft]] by the [[Denver Broncos]]. He was also selected by the [[Washington Redskins]] in the second round (21st overall) of the [[1965 NFL Draft]].<ref name="pg_19650109_redskinspick" /> He signed with the Broncos, although he later tried to invalidate the contract.<ref name="flc_19650317_broncoscontract" />

As a rookie, he shared the starter [[left tackle]] position with [[Lee Bernet]].<ref name="fls_19650827_lefttackle" /> The next year, he became the regular starter. He was traded to the [[Minnesota Vikings]] in exchange for a fifth round draft choice (#117-[[Mike Bragg]]).

===Minnesota Vikings===
On October 4, 1967, he was activated from the [[taxi squad]] and played in 11 games. On August 5, 1968, he walked out of [[Training camp (National Football League)|training camp]] in a contract dispute and was placed on the reserve list.<ref name="ei_19680806_vikingsdrop" /> On October 19, he was traded to the [[Chicago Bears]] in exchange for a draft pick.<ref name="ar_19681020_transactions" />

===Chicago Bears===
In 1968, he was declared inactive in 9 games. He was waived on September 16, 1969.<ref name="mr_19690917_bearsrelease" />

===Atlanta Falcons===
In 1969, he signed with the [[Atlanta Falcons]] and played in 10 games. In 1970, after playing in 7 games, he was lost for the year with a knee injury.<ref name="ms_19701104_falconsinjury" /> An automobile accident 9 days before the 1971 [[Training camp (National Football League)|training camp]] complicated the injury and he was not able to recover. He was released on August 23.<ref name="hj_19710824_falconscut" />

==Personal life and death==
After football, he owned and operated an insurance agency. He was a vice president of the [[National Football League Players Association ]] for the state of Oklahoma. He appeared in the movie ''[[Brian's Song]]'', when the director used actual footage, showing him helping cart [[running back]] [[Gale Sayers]] off on a stretcher.<ref name="tw_19950215_moviecameo" />

Breitenstein died on March 13, 2023, at the age of 79.<ref name="th_20230316_obit"/>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="ar_19681020_transactions">{{cite web
 |url           = https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/20214516/
 |title         = Transactions
 |work          = [[The Arizona Republic]]
 |date          = October 20, 1968
 |access-date   = April 17, 2016
}} {{subscription required|s}}</ref>

<ref name="dbfb_2011_waredskins">{{cite web
 |url           = http://www.databasefootball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=WAS&lg=NFL&yr=1965 
 |title         = 1965 Washington Redskins 
 |website       = databaseFootball.com 
 |archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20060901003756/http://www.databasefootball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=WAS&lg=NFL&yr=1965 
 |access-date   = July 9, 2020
 |archive-date  = September 1, 2006
 }}</ref>

<ref name="ei_19680806_vikingsdrop">{{cite web
 |author        = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->
 |title         = Vikings Drop Two, Add One
 |url           = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19680806&id=pkBQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e1cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4724,1174017&hl=es
 |date          = August 6, 1968
 |work          = [[Evening Independent|The Evening Independent]]
 |access-date   = April 17, 2016
}}</ref>

<ref name="flc_19650317_broncoscontract">{{cite web
 |author        = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->
 |title         = Breitenstein Wants Out Of Contract
 |url           = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19650317&id=a8pNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MooDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6168,5849731&hl=es
 |date          = March 17, 1965
 |work          = [[The Free Lance-Star]]
 |access-date   = November 28, 2018
}}</ref>

<ref name="fls_19650827_lefttackle">{{cite web
 |last          = Rathet
 |first         = Mike
 |title         = Camp-Walking Makes Denver Coach Happy
 |url           = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19650827&id=x_5NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z4sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4142,3117444&hl=es
 |date          = August 27, 1965
 |work          = [[The Free Lance-Star]]
 |agency        = Associated Press
 |access-date   = April 17, 2016
}}</ref>

<ref name="hj_19710824_falconscut">{{cite web
 |url           = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19710824&id=lV8sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XM0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2823,4140686&hl=es
 |title         = Falcons Trim Roster By 4; Small, Snyder Rejoin Team
 |date          = August 24, 1971
 |work          = [[Spartanburg Herald-Journal|Herald-Journal]]
 |access-date   = April 17, 2016
}}</ref>

<ref name="pg_19650109_redskinspick">{{cite news
 |author        = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->
 |title         = 'Skins Lose First Two Choices
 |url           = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19650109&id=VWQwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mWwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1347,1337238&hl=es
 |work          = [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]
 |agency        = Associated Press
 |date          = January 9, 1963
 |access-date   = April 17, 2016
}}</ref>

<ref name="mr_19690917_bearsrelease">{{cite web
 |title         = Some Veterans Players Go
 |url           = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2512&dat=19690917&id=wbNYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GwANAAAAIBAJ&pg=2758,2319036&hl=es
 |date          = September 17, 1969
 |work          = [[Record-Journal|The Morning Record]]
 |access-date   = April 17, 2016
}}</ref>

<ref name="ms_19701104_falconsinjury">{{cite web
 |url           = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19701104&id=uc4VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KhEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4610,592827&hl=es
 |title         = Falcons Lose Vet Tackle
 |date          = November 4, 1970
 |work          = The Milwaukee Sentinel
 |access-date   = April 17, 2016
}}</ref>

<ref name="rtafl_2004_1965draft">{{cite web
 |last          = Phillips 
 |first         = Robert
 |year          = 2004
 |title         = American Football League Draft - 1965 
 |url           = http://www.remembertheafl.com/1965AFLDraft.html 
 |website       = remembertheafl.com 
 |access-date   = July 9, 2020 
 |archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20081224112426/http://www.remembertheafl.com/1965AFLDraft.html 
 |archive-date  = December 24, 2008 
 |url-status    = live
 }}</ref>

<ref name="th_20230316_obit">{{cite web
 | title        = TU Mourns Loss of Golden Hurricane Hall of Famer Bob Breitenstein
 | date         = March 16, 2023
 | location     = Tulsa, Oklahoma
 | website      = tulsahurricane.com
 | url          = https://tulsahurricane.com/news/2023/3/16/football-tu-mourns-loss-of-golden-hurricane-hall-of-famer-bob-breitenstein
 | access-date  = March 31, 2023
 | archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20230330212130/https://tulsahurricane.com/news/2023/3/16/football-tu-mourns-loss-of-golden-hurricane-hall-of-famer-bob-breitenstein
 | archive-date = March 30, 2023
 | url-status   = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="tulsaworld_19910530_halloffame">{{cite web
 |url           = https://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/bill-connors/article_d12daf39-b455-584a-a047-1c28921e3479.html
 |title         = Bill Connors
 |publisher     = Tulsa World
 |access-date   = April 17, 2016
 |archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20181128065446/https://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/bill-connors/article_d12daf39-b455-584a-a047-1c28921e3479.html
 |archive-date  = November 28, 2018
 |url-status    = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="tw_19950215_moviecameo">{{cite web
 |last          = O'Kane
 |first         = Dan
 |url           = https://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/breitenstein-s-induction-set/article_8f5cceee-3572-5f16-90f4-9d23323760f3.html
 |title         = Breitenstein's Induction Set
 |work          = [[Tulsa World]]
 |access-date   = April 17, 2016
 |archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20181128081821/https://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/breitenstein-s-induction-set/article_8f5cceee-3572-5f16-90f4-9d23323760f3.html
 |archive-date  = November 28, 2018
 |url-status    = live
}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
* [https://tulsahurricane.com/sports/2015/4/21/GEN_20140101142.aspx University of Tulsa Athletic Hall of Fame bio].

{{Redskins1965DraftPicks}}
{{Broncos1965DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Breitenstein, Bob}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:American football offensive linemen]]
[[Category:Denver Broncos (AFL) players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Vikings players]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears players]]
[[Category:Atlanta Falcons players]]
[[Category:Tulsa Golden Hurricane football players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Buenos Aires]]
[[Category:Argentine emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Argentine players of American football]]