Rico Labbe

Rico Labbe (born June 16, 1967) is an American former football safety. He played college football for Boston College, where he was a team captain and recorded over 300 tackles. Labbe was selected in the fourth round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders. Though he did not play in a regular-season game, he participated in several exhibition games before transitioning to a career in television production. He currently works as a coordinating producer for ESPN.

Rico Labbe

Personal information
Born:	(1967-06-16) June 16, 1967 (age 58) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school:	Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.)
College:	Boston College
Position:	Linebacker
NFL draft:	1990: 4th round, 109th pick
Career history
Washington Commanders (1990) [1]

Awards and honors

Year	Honor
1986	Hall of Fame Bowl Champion – Boston College[2]
1989	Team Captain, Boston College[3]
1989	Participant, Blue–Gray All-Star Classic[4]
1989	Participant, East–West Shrine Game[5]
2004	Inducted into Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame[3]
2015	Inducted into Archbishop Carroll High School Hall of Fame[6]

Early life and high school

Labbe was born in Washington, D.C., and attended Archbishop Carroll High School. He earned All-Met honors for his performance in football and was later inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.^[6]

College career

Labbe played four seasons at Boston College from 1986 to 1989. A strong safety, he recorded more than 310 career tackles, four interceptions, and served as team captain in his senior season. He helped lead the team to a victory in the 1986 Hall of Fame Bowl.^[7] Following his collegiate career, Labbe was selected to play in both the Blue–Gray All-Star Classic and the East–West Shrine Game. In 2004, he was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame.^[3]

College statistics

Statistic	Value
Years active	1986–1989
Total tackles	310+
Interceptions	4
Bowl games	1986 Hall of Fame Bowl
All-star games	1989 Blue–Gray Classic, East–West Shrine Game

Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame Induction

In 2004, Rico Labbe was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Eagles football program from 1986 to 1989.^[8] A hard-hitting safety and emotional leader, Labbe finished his collegiate career with over 310 tackles, numerous interceptions, and a reputation as one of the most dependable defensive players of his era.

Labbe served as team captain his senior year, helping to elevate Boston College’s defense to national relevance. Known for his tenacity and leadership both on and off the field, he became a role model for younger players and an ambassador for the program.^[8]

Labbe’s contributions were recognized not only through his Hall of Fame induction but also through his lasting influence on Boston College athletics and the broader football community.

Professional career

Labbe was selected by the Washington Redskins in the 4th round (109th overall) of the 1990 NFL Draft.^[9] He participated in training camp and played in preseason exhibition games but was released prior to the start of the regular season. Labbe did not appear in any official NFL regular season games.

NFL exhibition performance

Statistic	Value
Team	Washington Redskins
Year	1990
Games played	3 (preseason)
Tackles	6
Pass deflections	1

Post-football career

Following his football career, Labbe transitioned into television production. He joined ESPN and eventually became a coordinating producer, contributing to major broadcasts such as Monday Night Football, the NFL Draft, the NBA Draft,^[10] the NCAA Tournament,^[11] and college football programming. He earned multiple industry awards for his work. ^[12]

Film and television credits

Year	Title	Role	Network/Company	Source
1996	Wide World of Sports 35th Anniversary Special	Segment Producer	ESPN	[citation needed]
2004	The Guess Who: Running Back Thru Canada	Segment Producer	CBC/ESPN Canada	[citation needed]
2006	NFL Draft Coverage	Director (Art Direction)	ESPN	"Sports Emmy Awards 2006 Nominees". Retrieved May 16, 2025.
2006	Monday Night Football	Music Director / Cinematic Tease Co-Director	ESPN	"Rico Labbe Profile". Retrieved May 16, 2025.
2018	Tournament Challenge Open	Coordinating Producer	ESPN	"Inside ESPN's Tournament Challenge Open". Retrieved May 16, 2025.
2023	Monday Night Football (Rebranding: "In the Air Tonight")	Co-Director	ESPN	"In the Air Tonight: The Rebranding of ESPN Monday Night Football". Retrieved May 16, 2025.

Awards and recognition

• 2006 – Nominated for a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Production Design/Art Direction for the NFL Draft on ESPN^[13]
• 2023 – Sports Emmy Award recipient for feature production on Monday Night Football^[14]

Additional media work

Labbe has also worked as a commercial director with Victory Pictures and has contributed to ESPN’s NBA Draft and college football branding campaigns.^[15][16]

Personal life

Labbe is the cousin of Randall Harris, who played offensive line for Towson University.^[17]