University Southern California Trojans
November 03, 2026 | Football
LOS ANGELES—The Tournament of Roses has announced that legendary USC wide receiver Bob Chandler will be inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026.
Chandler was a standout wide receiver for USC from 1968-70, helped the Trojans win a Pac-8 championship and earn two trips to the Rose Bowl.
As a senior, Chandler captained the team and led USC in receptions, but it was his performance in the 1970 Rose Bowl Game that cemented his place in Rose Bowl history. Facing a talented Michigan team, Chandler caught three passes for 78 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown from quarterback Jimmy Jones in the third quarter that proved to be the game-winning score in USC's 10-3 victory. Chandler was named Player of the Game.
He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 1971 NFL Draft and went on to play 12 seasons in the League. He was with the Bills for nine seasons (1971-79), and he led the NFL in receptions from 1975-77 and was named Second Team All-Pro in 1975 and 1977. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders in April of 1980 and played with the organization for three seasons (1980-82). He was a part of the Raider team that was the first Wild Card team to ever advance to the Super Bowl. He shined in Super Bowl XV when he caught 4 passes for 77 yards in the Raiders' 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in January of 1981. Chandler finished his NFL career with 370 receptions for 5,243 yards and 48 touchdowns.
After his football career, Chandler served as a color analyst for NFL games on NBC in 1983, hosted the show "2 on the Town" on KCBS-TV in Los Angeles from 1984-87 and was a local sports reporter for KABC-TV in the late 1980's. He hosted "Amazing Games" on ESPN (a global documentary series about the world's most exotic sports) and co-hosted a travel show, American Adventurer, on KCAL-TV. Chandler also worked on Raider broadcasts for the 1993 and 1994 seasons.
Born in Long Beach, Calif. and raised in Whittier, Calif., Chandler attended Whittier High School where he became one of Southern California's greatest all-around athletes. He was All-CIF in football and basketball and was one of the country's top high school decathletes. At Whittier High School, the athletic facilities are named the Bob Chandler Sports Complex in honor of remembrance for one of their own.
Chandler, a nonsmoker, died on January 27, 1995, at the age of 45, after a four-month battle with a rare strain of lung cancer. He was posthumously inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
After his death, the Bob Chandler Foundation was created in 1996 by his family and close friends to further the beliefs and principles of Bob Chandler, and to serve as the memorial for those who continue to fight against cancer.
"I believe that winning is a by-product of pride, respect and character...that kind of winning is something you carry with you the rest of your life," said Chandler. His words capture the values that defined his life and continue to shape the legacy he left at USC. In his honor, the USC Athletic Department established the Bob Chandler Award, presented annually to a USC football underclassman based on athletic ability, academic scholarship as well as character on and off of the field. The award funds a scholarship for the player's full tuition, room and board for the following year.
The Bob Chandler Foundation also provides support for the athletic facilities at Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times located in the San Jacinto Mountains near Idyllwild, Calif. The camp provides young cancer patients with a unique camping experience.
This year's Rose Bowl Hall of Fame inductees will be honored during the CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential on January 1, 2027.
With the addition of this year's class, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame includes 152 inductees over its 38-year history. Inductees are honored with a permanent plaque that includes their name and year of induction at The Court of Champions at the Rose Bowl Stadium, forever cementing their legacy with that of The Granddaddy of Them All.
The Rose Bowl Hall of Fame was established in 1989 to pay tribute to individuals who have contributed to the history and excitement of the Rose Bowl Game, and those who embody the highest level of passion, strength, tradition and honor associated with The Granddaddy of Them All.
Chandler was a standout wide receiver for USC from 1968-70, helped the Trojans win a Pac-8 championship and earn two trips to the Rose Bowl.
As a senior, Chandler captained the team and led USC in receptions, but it was his performance in the 1970 Rose Bowl Game that cemented his place in Rose Bowl history. Facing a talented Michigan team, Chandler caught three passes for 78 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown from quarterback Jimmy Jones in the third quarter that proved to be the game-winning score in USC's 10-3 victory. Chandler was named Player of the Game.
He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 1971 NFL Draft and went on to play 12 seasons in the League. He was with the Bills for nine seasons (1971-79), and he led the NFL in receptions from 1975-77 and was named Second Team All-Pro in 1975 and 1977. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders in April of 1980 and played with the organization for three seasons (1980-82). He was a part of the Raider team that was the first Wild Card team to ever advance to the Super Bowl. He shined in Super Bowl XV when he caught 4 passes for 77 yards in the Raiders' 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in January of 1981. Chandler finished his NFL career with 370 receptions for 5,243 yards and 48 touchdowns.
After his football career, Chandler served as a color analyst for NFL games on NBC in 1983, hosted the show "2 on the Town" on KCBS-TV in Los Angeles from 1984-87 and was a local sports reporter for KABC-TV in the late 1980's. He hosted "Amazing Games" on ESPN (a global documentary series about the world's most exotic sports) and co-hosted a travel show, American Adventurer, on KCAL-TV. Chandler also worked on Raider broadcasts for the 1993 and 1994 seasons.
Born in Long Beach, Calif. and raised in Whittier, Calif., Chandler attended Whittier High School where he became one of Southern California's greatest all-around athletes. He was All-CIF in football and basketball and was one of the country's top high school decathletes. At Whittier High School, the athletic facilities are named the Bob Chandler Sports Complex in honor of remembrance for one of their own.
Chandler, a nonsmoker, died on January 27, 1995, at the age of 45, after a four-month battle with a rare strain of lung cancer. He was posthumously inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
After his death, the Bob Chandler Foundation was created in 1996 by his family and close friends to further the beliefs and principles of Bob Chandler, and to serve as the memorial for those who continue to fight against cancer.
"I believe that winning is a by-product of pride, respect and character...that kind of winning is something you carry with you the rest of your life," said Chandler. His words capture the values that defined his life and continue to shape the legacy he left at USC. In his honor, the USC Athletic Department established the Bob Chandler Award, presented annually to a USC football underclassman based on athletic ability, academic scholarship as well as character on and off of the field. The award funds a scholarship for the player's full tuition, room and board for the following year.
The Bob Chandler Foundation also provides support for the athletic facilities at Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times located in the San Jacinto Mountains near Idyllwild, Calif. The camp provides young cancer patients with a unique camping experience.
This year's Rose Bowl Hall of Fame inductees will be honored during the CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential on January 1, 2027.
With the addition of this year's class, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame includes 152 inductees over its 38-year history. Inductees are honored with a permanent plaque that includes their name and year of induction at The Court of Champions at the Rose Bowl Stadium, forever cementing their legacy with that of The Granddaddy of Them All.
The Rose Bowl Hall of Fame was established in 1989 to pay tribute to individuals who have contributed to the history and excitement of the Rose Bowl Game, and those who embody the highest level of passion, strength, tradition and honor associated with The Granddaddy of Them All.
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