Colorado University Athletics
50 Years Later, Pete Brock Finishes What He Started at Colorado
May 01, 2026 | Football, Herbst Academic Center
Colorado All-American and New England Patriots First-Round Pick Completes Degree Five Decades Later
BOULDER — It took 50 years to get here.
Almost exactly half a century since leaving campus, Pete Brock will walk into Folsom Field at the University of Colorado, graduating alongside the milestone he always had in mind—exactly 50 years after those he came into CU with did the same.
A first-round NFL Draft pick. A 12-year veteran of the New England Patriots. A Colorado Athletic Hall of Famer. One of the most decorated offensive linemen in program history.
But until now, he wasn't a graduate.
"It was a box left unchecked," Brock said. "And I have very few of those left in my life."
A FOUNDATION IN BOULDER
Brock's Colorado story started with a decision—and a view.
Originally headed to Notre Dame, the Oregon native changed course after his visit to Boulder.
"When I topped the Boulder-Denver turnpike and saw the Flatirons and the Front Range, I thought, this is where I want to be," Brock said.
He arrived in the early 1970s and quickly became part of a program on the rise, playing under Eddie Crowder and Bill Mallory and helping define an era built on toughness and unity.
"We worked hard, we played hard, and many of us became lifelong friends," Brock said.
That bond has endured for decades. This weekend, teammates from across the country are returning to Boulder—not for a reunion game, but to watch one of their own finish what he started.
"That's because of the camaraderie we had," he said. "We were led to love each other."
The Brock name became a fixture in the program. His brothers, Willie and Stan Brock, followed him to Colorado, cementing a family legacy that still echoes through Buffs history.
SMASH-MOUTH FOOTBALL AND FOLSOM MEMORIES
Brock's teams reflected the identity of the era—physical, relentless and driven by the offensive line.
"If we threw the ball 13 times, that was a season stat," he said.
One of his defining memories came in Norman, Okla., when unbeaten Colorado battled unbeaten Oklahoma in a game that embodied everything the Buffs stood for.
"That was the epitome of CU football," Brock said. "Smash-mouth, wear defenses out. It didn't matter the score—we were coming after you."
Folsom Field in the 1970s had its own personality—part football, part unpredictability.
"The '70s were kind of weird, and being in Boulder in the '70s was even weirder," Brock said.
His favorite moment? Watching an Iowa State mascot taunt Ralphie pregame before scrambling into the stands when the buffalo charged.
"That mascot couldn't get away fast enough," Brock said.
FROM BOULDER TO BOSTON
In 1976, Brock's career took him across the country.
Selected No. 12 overall in the NFL Draft, he built a 12-year career with the Patriots, starting across the offensive line and becoming known for his versatility.
"I was living a dream," he said.
He was part of one of the most dominant rushing teams in franchise history, helping set an NFL single-season record in 1978 that stood for more than four decades.
"To be an offensive lineman on a team that could run the football like that—it was beautiful," Brock said.
After his playing days, Brock stayed connected to the game, helping found the Patriots Alumni Association and spending nearly 20 years in broadcasting.
A SECOND CAREER—AND AN UNFINISHED GOAL
Brock's post-football life was filled with success in business, consulting and community work. But one goal remained.
"Graduating was always something I wanted to do," he said.
For Brock, the timing of his return wasn't random—it was intentional. The 2026 commencement marked 50 years since he left Boulder to begin his professional career, and he wanted to finish what he started on that same timeline.
Once he committed, he attacked it head-on.
Twelve credits in the summer. Fifteen in the fall. A compressed winter course. Twelve more in the spring.
Exactly 42 credit hours in one year.
"If I knew then what I know now, I don't know if I would have done it," he said.
Still, he pushed through—earning a 3.57 GPA and rediscovering something along the way.
"I learned how to learn again," he said.
SEEING THE PROGRAM TODAY
Back in Boulder this week, Brock has also had a chance to see the current program up close under head coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders.
He's watched from afar as the program has evolved—and he likes what he sees.
"It's been fun watching the evolution of the Deion Sanders impact here at the university," Brock said.
More than wins, Brock pointed to something deeper.
"I heard him say once that one of the most important things he can do is make good men out of his players," Brock said. "And I think he's doing a great job of that. Wins will come, but you have to have quality citizens to make that happen."
FULL CIRCLE
Now, nearly five decades after he first arrived, Brock is back where it all began.
He's surrounded by family. Teammates. Friends who made the journey with him then—and again now.
"I'm overwhelmed," he said.
The goal was never just to finish a degree. It was to finish it at Colorado.
"I wanted to graduate from the place that I started," Brock said.
And when he walks into the stadium he once played in, it will be more than a ceremony.
It will be the final step in a story 50 years in the making.
"I made a promise," Brock said. "If I finished it, I was coming back to walk."
This weekend, he will.
Almost exactly half a century since leaving campus, Pete Brock will walk into Folsom Field at the University of Colorado, graduating alongside the milestone he always had in mind—exactly 50 years after those he came into CU with did the same.
A first-round NFL Draft pick. A 12-year veteran of the New England Patriots. A Colorado Athletic Hall of Famer. One of the most decorated offensive linemen in program history.
But until now, he wasn't a graduate.
"It was a box left unchecked," Brock said. "And I have very few of those left in my life."
A FOUNDATION IN BOULDER
Brock's Colorado story started with a decision—and a view.
Originally headed to Notre Dame, the Oregon native changed course after his visit to Boulder.
"When I topped the Boulder-Denver turnpike and saw the Flatirons and the Front Range, I thought, this is where I want to be," Brock said.
He arrived in the early 1970s and quickly became part of a program on the rise, playing under Eddie Crowder and Bill Mallory and helping define an era built on toughness and unity.
"We worked hard, we played hard, and many of us became lifelong friends," Brock said.
That bond has endured for decades. This weekend, teammates from across the country are returning to Boulder—not for a reunion game, but to watch one of their own finish what he started.
"That's because of the camaraderie we had," he said. "We were led to love each other."
The Brock name became a fixture in the program. His brothers, Willie and Stan Brock, followed him to Colorado, cementing a family legacy that still echoes through Buffs history.
SMASH-MOUTH FOOTBALL AND FOLSOM MEMORIES
Brock's teams reflected the identity of the era—physical, relentless and driven by the offensive line.
"If we threw the ball 13 times, that was a season stat," he said.
One of his defining memories came in Norman, Okla., when unbeaten Colorado battled unbeaten Oklahoma in a game that embodied everything the Buffs stood for.
"That was the epitome of CU football," Brock said. "Smash-mouth, wear defenses out. It didn't matter the score—we were coming after you."
Folsom Field in the 1970s had its own personality—part football, part unpredictability.
"The '70s were kind of weird, and being in Boulder in the '70s was even weirder," Brock said.
His favorite moment? Watching an Iowa State mascot taunt Ralphie pregame before scrambling into the stands when the buffalo charged.
"That mascot couldn't get away fast enough," Brock said.
FROM BOULDER TO BOSTON
In 1976, Brock's career took him across the country.
Selected No. 12 overall in the NFL Draft, he built a 12-year career with the Patriots, starting across the offensive line and becoming known for his versatility.
"I was living a dream," he said.
He was part of one of the most dominant rushing teams in franchise history, helping set an NFL single-season record in 1978 that stood for more than four decades.
"To be an offensive lineman on a team that could run the football like that—it was beautiful," Brock said.
After his playing days, Brock stayed connected to the game, helping found the Patriots Alumni Association and spending nearly 20 years in broadcasting.
A SECOND CAREER—AND AN UNFINISHED GOAL
Brock's post-football life was filled with success in business, consulting and community work. But one goal remained.
"Graduating was always something I wanted to do," he said.
For Brock, the timing of his return wasn't random—it was intentional. The 2026 commencement marked 50 years since he left Boulder to begin his professional career, and he wanted to finish what he started on that same timeline.
Once he committed, he attacked it head-on.
Twelve credits in the summer. Fifteen in the fall. A compressed winter course. Twelve more in the spring.
Exactly 42 credit hours in one year.
"If I knew then what I know now, I don't know if I would have done it," he said.
Still, he pushed through—earning a 3.57 GPA and rediscovering something along the way.
"I learned how to learn again," he said.
SEEING THE PROGRAM TODAY
Back in Boulder this week, Brock has also had a chance to see the current program up close under head coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders.
He's watched from afar as the program has evolved—and he likes what he sees.
"It's been fun watching the evolution of the Deion Sanders impact here at the university," Brock said.
More than wins, Brock pointed to something deeper.
"I heard him say once that one of the most important things he can do is make good men out of his players," Brock said. "And I think he's doing a great job of that. Wins will come, but you have to have quality citizens to make that happen."
FULL CIRCLE
Now, nearly five decades after he first arrived, Brock is back where it all began.
He's surrounded by family. Teammates. Friends who made the journey with him then—and again now.
"I'm overwhelmed," he said.
The goal was never just to finish a degree. It was to finish it at Colorado.
"I wanted to graduate from the place that I started," Brock said.
And when he walks into the stadium he once played in, it will be more than a ceremony.
It will be the final step in a story 50 years in the making.
"I made a promise," Brock said. "If I finished it, I was coming back to walk."
This weekend, he will.
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