In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, the Los Angeles Rams produced a three-part miniseries honoring Asian-American sports hero and legend, Roman Gabriel Jr. The episodes will air the first three Fridays in May on the Rams official channels including Instagram, X and Facebook. Each episode will be between 60 and 90 seconds in length.
Gabriel was the first Filipino American quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). In 1969, he was named the NFL's first and only Asian American MVP after throwing for 2,549 yards with 24 touchdown passes and five rushing scores. Drafted second overall by the Rams in the 1962 NFL Draft, Gabriel led the team to a 41-14-4 record and two division titles between 1967 and1970. Gabriel played 11 seasons with the Rams and was inducted into the National Quarterback Hall of Fame in 2020. Today, Gabriel still holds the Rams' team record as the all-time leader in passing touchdowns and wins by a starting quarterback.
While Gabriel passed away on April 20, 2024, he continues to inspire generations through the representation barriers he broke and the NFL and collegiate records he holds.
"The entire Rams organization mourns the loss of Roman Gabriel," said Los Angeles Rams Chief Marketing Officer Kathryn Kai-ling Frederick. "Given Roman's place in NFL history as the first Filipino American quarterback, we wanted to spotlight his story as part of our celebration of the AAPI community. We hope this miniseries inspires others to play the game while celebrating Roman's timeless legacy."
In Los Angeles, Gabriel was playing in front of one of the largest Filipino populations in America and became the first Filipino American sports superstar for many in the community. After his 16-year NFL career, he earned four Pro Bowl spots and the Comeback Player of the Year award.
Part one of the social series takes viewers through Gabriel's childhood, his college football experience, the 1962 NFL Draft and his time on the Rams while spotlighting his 1969 MVP season. Part two explores more of Gabriel's accolades on the field while highlighting his acting career. He appeared in Hollywood movies and television shows such as Gilligan's Island and The Undefeated starring John Wayne. The final part of the series dives deep into Gabriel's heritage and uncovers facts about his Filipino identity as told through interviews and stories from his son, Roman Gabriel III.
The series was produced by the Los Angeles Rams Studios in partnership with North America's leading social content network and community gathering organization for Asians and Asian Americans in sports, AMAZN HQ. Through transformative first-of-a-kind sports media coverage, community-building events and culturally driven athlete marketing, AMAZN HQ creates new narratives to open pathways for recognition of Asian athletes.
"Roman Gabriel Jr. is one of the greatest Asian American sports trailblazers our community has ever seen," said AMAZN HQ Founder and CEO Pranav Iyer. "However, to this day, very few know the story about his heritage, cultural pride and barrier-breaking feats. We hope that through this series we shed light on the Gabriel family and celebrate the iconic life of Roman Gabriel Jr."
Gabriel, a North Carolina native, played quarterback at North Carolina State University, where he was a two-time All-American and is the only Asian American to be named two-time ACC Player of the Year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Throughout Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Rams will continue to honor the AAPI community by showcasing staff on their website each week and hosting a virtual career panel discussion in partnership with EVERFI featuring members of the Rams AAPI Employee Resource Community. The Rams also will host football clinics and Rams Readers events throughout predominantly Asian American communities in Los Angeles.
