Robert Acton (July 26, 1867 – November 22, 1900) was an Irish-American college football player and coach and physician.

He attended Harvard Medical School and he played football as a left guard for the Crimson from 1893 to 1895 and was also a member of the rowing team.

[1][2] Acton was the fifth head football coach at Vanderbilt University, serving for three seasons, from 1896 to 1898, and compiling a record of 10–7–3.

[3] He died on November 22, 1900, at Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan after an overdose of morphine.

[4] # denotes interim/acting head coach