Football In Memoriam thread

[Erik]

Dave Duerson, a safety on Ditka's Bears, including the incredible 1985 team, was found dead yesterday at age 50.

[revo]

Dave Duerson, a safety on Ditka's Bears, including the incredible 1985 team, was found dead yesterday at age 50.

I was stunned when I heard earlier today. Another member of the '85 Bears gone. He also played on the '90 Giants SB winning team.

[Erik]

Duerson apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. His brain will be studied as part of the ongoing research into post-career effects of concussions.

[Erik]

HOF RB Ollie Matson, 80. Once traded for NINE players.

[revo]

Duerson apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. His brain will be studied as part of the ongoing research into post-career effects of concussions.

Whoa! He was engaged and had a nice life as a radio host -- WTF?? That's awful news.

[revo]

we missed it due to the RJ move, but Cookie Gilchrist passed away at age 75 on Jan. 10.

[madducks]

Ricky Bell, former defensive back for Jacksonville and Chicago died Feb. 17 in Columbia, S.C. He was 36. No cause of death was given.

Bell was a captain at North Carolina State and played three seasons in the NFL, one in NFL Europe, and another in the XFL before joining the CFL in 2001.

In Canada, he played for Calgary, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Montreal before leaving the league in 2007. His career ended in 2008 with the Arena Football League’s Georgia Force.

[revo]

Shawn Lee, who made up half of the Chargers' "Two Tons of Fun" defensive tackle duo in the mid-1990s and started in the club's only Super Bowl, died Saturday in Raleigh, N.C., according to the Chargers. He was 44.

A cause of death was not known, the team said.

He is the sixth member of the Chargers' lone Super Bowl team (1994) to die. Linebacker David Griggs was killed in a 1995 car crash at 28; running back Rodney Culver was in a fatal plane crash in 1996 at 26; linebacker Doug Miller died after being struck by lightning in 1998 at 28; offensive lineman Curtis Whitley died of a drug overdose in 2008 at 39, and defensive lineman Chris Mims died of heart failure in 2008 at 38.

[revo]

Gary Wichard, a longtime sports agent who represented some of the NFL's biggest stars, died Friday morning at the age of 60.
Wichard passed away from complications brought on by diabetes and pancreatic cancer at his home in Westlake Village, Calif., according to a statement.

The Brooklyn, N.Y., native opened his sports agency, Protect Management, in 1980, building it into one of the most successful of its kind. He represented numerous NFL stars, including New York Jets linebacker Jason Taylor, Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs

[revo]

Sad news. Hill was an exciting receiver who was paired with Haywood Jeffires and Ernest Givins in the Oiler run n'shoot offenses of the 1980s:

Former Oilers wide receiver Drew Hill has passed away at the age of 54. On Friday we wrote that Hill was hospitalized with a “brain-related condition.”

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that Hill died from two massive strokes.

Former teammate Warren Moon played with Hill during the Oilers’ run-and-shoot era.

“I’m shocked,” Moon said. “I can’t believe it. Drew meant so much to us as a player and as a person. I counted on him so much. He was the consummate professional. It’s just so sad.”

Hill spent five seasons with the Rams before joining the Oilers in 1985. He had never caught more than 19 passes in a season until he went to Houston, where he snagged 64 balls his first year.

[revo]

Former Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Mario Branch has died of congestive heart failure, passing away young at age 31, according to the Tennessean.

His funeral is set for Saturday in Greenwood, Miss.

Branch was a 6-foot-7, 345-pounder from Mississippi Valley State. He attended the Titans' training camp in 2003 and 2004, not making the final cut.

“He was huge, and he looked like he could rip your head off. But he was a great guy to have in the locker room,” former Titans lineman Brad Hopkins said. “Everybody loved Mario. He was one of those guys who looked so intimidating, but once you got to know him you were pleasantly surprised you got to meet him. We had tons of rookies come in and out I don’t remember, but he is one of the guys I remember because he was such a good guy.”

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Former-Titans-lineman-Mario-Branch-dies-of-heart-failure.html

[revo]

San Francisco 49ers pioneer, Joe Perry, passed away peacefully in Arizona Monday morning from complications due to dementia at the age of 84. Nicknamed “The Jet” for his exceptional speed, Perry was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969 following a professional career that spanned 16 seasons. He later had his #34 jersey retired by the 49ers in 1971.

"I was deeply saddened to hear of Joe Perry's passing earlier today," said 49ers Owner and Co-Chairman John York. "He was a dear friend to my family and me and to the entire 49ers organization. He was also an integral part of our rich history. A truly remarkable man both on and off the field, Joe had a lasting impact on the game of football and was an inspirational man to the generations of players that followed him. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife, Donna, and his entire family. He will be sadly missed by all of us. We are honored to be able to continue to pay tribute to him through the annual Perry/Yonamine Unity Award recognizing his and fellow 49ers alumnus, Wally Yonamine's barrier-breaking contributions to the 49ers."

Perry played 14 seasons for the 49ers (1948-1960, ’63) and two for the Baltimore Colts (1961-62) as a fullback. He remains San Francisco’s all-time leader in rushing yards (7,344) and rushing touchdowns (50). Perry led the team in rushing on eight occasions, including seven consecutive seasons (1949-1955).

[griswold]

San Francisco 49ers pioneer, Joe Perry, passed away peacefully in Arizona Monday morning from complications due to dementia at the age of 84. Nicknamed “The Jet” for his exceptional speed, Perry was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969 following a professional career that spanned 16 seasons. He later had his #34 jersey retired by the 49ers in 1971.

"I was deeply saddened to hear of Joe Perry's passing earlier today," said 49ers Owner and Co-Chairman John York. "He was a dear friend to my family and me and to the entire 49ers organization. He was also an integral part of our rich history. A truly remarkable man both on and off the field, Joe had a lasting impact on the game of football and was an inspirational man to the generations of players that followed him. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife, Donna, and his entire family. He will be sadly missed by all of us. We are honored to be able to continue to pay tribute to him through the annual Perry/Yonamine Unity Award recognizing his and fellow 49ers alumnus, Wally Yonamine's barrier-breaking contributions to the 49ers."

Perry played 14 seasons for the 49ers (1948-1960, ’63) and two for the Baltimore Colts (1961-62) as a fullback. He remains San Francisco’s all-time leader in rushing yards (7,344) and rushing touchdowns (50). Perry led the team in rushing on eight occasions, including seven consecutive seasons (1949-1955).

This is sad. I've met him numerous times over the past 20 years during HOF weekend and I NEVER remember seeing him without a smile on his face. ALWAYS extremely polite and never a bad word to say about anyone. While most of the old-timers at HOF are nice guys, Joe Perry stands out as one of the nicest. I'm sad to see him pass. My prayers and sympaties go out to him and his family.

[revo]

Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Godfrey Myles died late Thursday night from complications related to a massive heart attack he suffered the day before, the team announced on its website.

Myles, 42, was a part of three Super Bowl teams during the 1990s. A Miami native and a former third-round pick from the University of Florida, Myles was primarily a backup during his six-year NFL career, although he started 11 games in 1995 before tearing his ACL against the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. He retired in 1996.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Myles, along with two other men, was indicted in March 2011 on federal charges alleging $2.5 million in mortgage fraud.


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Also last week, HOFers Andy Robustelli and John Henry Johnson passed away.

[revo]

Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey died from dementia at age 69.