HOUSTON — RodeoHouston is honoring legend and longtime barrelman Leon Coffee as its 2025 Hall of Fame inductee.
The fan favorite, who entertained Houston crowds for three decades climbed into his familiar blue barrel to protect cowboys for the last time earlier this year. With his bright green cowboy hat, unmistakable laugh and contagious smile, Coffee somehow managed to make a dangerous job look fun. But don't let the title rodeo clown fool you.
Editor's note: The above video originally aired in March 2024.
"You've got 1,800 pounds of master beef running at you, going 40 miles an hour," Coffee told KHOU 11 last year.
The "man in the can," now 70, sacrificed his own body to help other bullfighters distract the angry beasts that try to buck off cowboys as they hang on for dear life.
"I've had 143 different breaks and a lot of them two or three times," Coffee said. "The whole right side of my face is all plastic and wire. They had to rebuild all that."
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo President and CEO Chris Boleman cited Coffee's dedication to the sport and legacy on and off the dirt as reasons he was chosen for the second Hall of Fame class.
“The RODEOHOUSTON Hall of Fame is a lifelong celebration of those who have made a remarkable contribution to the Rodeo’s history, and Leon Coffee is a benchmark example,” Boleman said.
Coffee was nominated as the National Finals Rodeo barrelman in 1991, 1994 and 1997.
He's an Army veteran, philanthropist, and father of three who lives in Blanco, Texas with his wife.
When RodeoHouston returns next February, Coffee will still be entertaining fans.
"Me, my props are going to be sitting in these seats right here," he said. "I'm going to be around 'til the good lord takes me away."
Coffee's hand-picked replacement in the barrel is expected to be named this spring.
The Rodeo's 2024 inaugural class included longtime announcer Bob Tallman, decorated barrel racer Charmayne James and Mike Cervi, who's provided bulls, broncs, steers and calves to Rodeo Houston for 50 years.