Gary Shirk

Gary Lee Shirk showed that not all paths to the NFL are the same, but when he got his opportunity to play in the NFL, he made the most of it.

Born in Marysville, Ohio, Shirk attended Marysville High School, where he put together a great high school football career. He went on to play college football at Morehead State University in Kentucky, where he was a four-year starter at tight end, and was named the team MVP in 1972. Shirk finished his college career with 96 receptions, 1,236 receiving yards, 5 touchdowns, and was a First-Team All-OVC choice in 1972.

Undrafted, Gary Shirk's professional football career didn't begin in the NFL. He began his professional football journey in the World Football League (WFL), suiting up for the Memphis Southmen in 1974 to 1975. The experience provided him with valuable playing time and helped prepare him for an opportunity in the NFL.

In 1976, Shirk signed with the New York Giants, where he would spend his all seven years of his NFL career. While the Giants struggled through much of the late 1970s and early 1980s, he tallied 130 receptions for 1,640 yards and 11 touchdowns in the Big Apple, including a career-high 32 catches in 1979.

He played in 102 NFL games from 1976 to 1982, serving as a dependable target for Giants quarterbacks and contributing to the team’s offensive stability during a transitional era. For the last four seasons of his Giants' career, Shirk was catching passes from another former Morehead State Eagle, Phil Simms.

Shirk was released from the Giants in 1983 and finished his professional football career with the newly created USFL's Memphis Showboats in 1984-1985.

After retiring, Gary Shirk became a high school teacher and coach in Tennessee, staying active in his community and mentoring young athletes. He was later honored with induction into the Morehead State University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Topps 1978 Trading Card. Biography by John T. Broome.