Rufus T. Bess was born on September 13, 1956, in Darlington, SC. After attending Butler High School in Hartsville, he played college football at South Carolina State University, and in 2004, he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame for his outstanding accomplishments on the gridiron. Bess went on to play nine seasons in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, and Oakland Raiders from 1979-1987. Bess also spent a season playing for the Chicago Bruisers in the Area League in 1988. After his NFL career, he coached football at North Community High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
