Robert Lee Pollard (December 30, 1948) is an American former football defensive end who played for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints—where he played four seasons as a defensive tackle—and the St. Louis Cardinals. He played college football for the Texas Southern Tigers and the Weber State Wildcats and was selected by the Saints in the eleventh round of the 1971 NFL draft.

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (January 2015) This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (January 2015)

Pollard attended the black Hebert High School in Beaumont, Texas.

He began his college football career in 1966 with the Texas Southern Tigers, as he wanted to stay close to his family. After a year and a half, he decided to transfer to the Weber State Wildcats even though he had been a starter at Texas Southern because he felt that the school was trying to take his scholarship away in order to offer it to talented out of state players.^[1]

He was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 262nd overall pick of the 1971 NFL draft. Pollard was named Saints defensive captain from 1976 to 1977 and was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame in 1995.^[2] In 1977, the Saints traded Pollard and guard Terry Stieve, to the St. Louis Cardinals for Pro Bowler guard Conrad Dobler and wide receiver Ike Harris.^[3] He finished his career with the Cardinals in 1981. Although quarterback sacks were not officially recorded prior to 1982, he has been credited with 57 unofficial sacks during his career.^[4]

In 1971, Pollard was one of sixteen pro football players from Beaumont to be given the Keys to The City.^[5][6]

His son, Robert, had a brief NFL career as a defensive end with the San Diego Chargers the and Seattle Seahawks.^[7]