Tommy Spinks Thomas Allen Spinks , known as Tommy Spinks ( October 29 , 1948 - August 26 , 2007 ) , was an American football wide receiver for the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs who played from 1966 — 1969 . A native of Shreveport , Spinks and Larry C . Brewer , who came to Tech from Minden High School , were the players who received the passes from the legendary Tech quarterback Terry Bradshaw , also a Shreveport native who went on to play successfully for the Pittsburgh Steelers . Spinks set two records in the 1968 Grantland Rice Bowl , when he caught 12 passes for 167 yards . After his Tech career , Spinks was selected in the 1970 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and played professionally during the early 1970s . However , he is not included on the Vikings ' web site listing of past players . Spinks was the son of Methodist minister Otis Spinks ( 1900 – 1987 ) and Grace Spinks ( 1915 – 2003 ) , who were living in Ruston , the location of Louisiana Tech , at the time of their deaths . The senior Spinkses are interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park off U . S . Highway 80 West in Ruston . Spinks graduated in 1966 from Woodlawn High School in Shreveport , where he also played football with Bradshaw . It was often said that Bradshaw threw the passes that only Spinks could catch . Spinks was the president of Quest IV Health Products , Inc . , in Arlington , Texas , a firm which offers VitaMan and VitaWoman vitamin s . He also published the magazine " Millionaire Blueprints " . Spinks was diagnosed with cancer in May 2007 and died three months later at his home in Arlington . A memorial service was held on September 4 , 2007 at his home church , St . Barnabas United Methodist Church in Arlington . Survivors included his wife of forty years , the former Barbara Lindsay — the couple married out of high school ; four children , Kimberly Spinks Burleson and husband , Michael , of Arlington , Terri Spinks Netterville and husband , Kevin , of Shreveport , Jason Wesley Spinks of Arlington , and Lindsay Spinks Shepherd and husband , Chad , also of Arlington ; two sisters , Peggy Spinks Hughes and husband , Ed , of Longview , Texas , and Betty Carol Spinks Bales and husband , Joey , of West Monroe , Louisiana , and eleven grandchildren . Spinks ' obituary makes no mention of his football career . Mike Morgan ( born ca . 1950 ) of Shreveport , himself a high school football player , recalled Spinks this way : " Every person in their formative years , needs a good solid role model . Someone they can look up to , someone who does all the right things - - Tommy was that person to me . He was a hard worker , the last to leave the practice field . Smart , friendly , sincere and truly liked and admired by everyone who met him . There was something about him that made you want to be around him and be his friend , a quality few of us have but wished we did . " References . http : / / teddyallen . blogspot . com / 2007 / 08 / to - absent - friend . html Louisiana Tech " Lagniappe " , 1970 , pp . 388 – 395 " Tech Gridders Feted " , " Ruston Daily Leader " , January 21 , 1970 " Brewer obtained by Atlanta ; Spinks to Minnesota " , " Ruston Daily Leader " , January 29 , 1970 http : / / ssdi . rootsweb . com / cgi - bin / ssdi . cgi http : / / sports . aol . com / story / _ a / tech - wide - receiver - tommy - spinks - who / n20070827194209990016 http : / / www . zoominfo . com / people / Spinks _ Tom _ 4719597 . aspx http : / / www . vikingupdate . com / alumni / http : / / www . legacy . com / shreveporttimes / Obituaries . asp ? Page = SearchResults