Football In Memoriam thread

[revo]

just days after his former coach passed away, Titans owner Bud Adams died, also at age 90.

[Erik]

Adams fired Phillips at the conclusion of the 1980-81 season. The previous two seasons, the Oilers had gone to the AFC Championship Game and lost to the eventual champion Steelers. The 1980-81 seaason, the Oilers returned to the playoffs and lost in the first round.

Seems like kind of a rash decision. Anyone remember the rationale? Was there a clash of egos there in the Jerry Jones-Jimmy Johnson manner?

[revo]

Adams fired Phillips at the conclusion of the 1980-81 season. The previous two seasons, the Oilers had gone to the AFC Championship Game and lost to the eventual champion Steelers. The 1980-81 seaason, the Oilers returned to the playoffs and lost in the first round.

Seems like kind of a rash decision. Anyone remember the rationale? Was there a clash of egos there in the Jerry Jones-Jimmy Johnson manner?

Bum was not only the Head Coach, but also the GM and the Offensive Coordinator. And from what I understand, Adams did not realize the Oilers were the only team in the NFL to not have an OC, and he was also upset with the plain vanilla offensive scheme employed by Phillips, which basically was handing the ball off to Earl Campbell.

[Erik]

and he was also upset with the plain vanilla offensive scheme employed by Phillips, which basically was handing the ball off to Earl Campbell.

And less than a decade later, they were using the run-and-shoot.

[revo]

Raider great Todd Christensen dead at age 57. RIP.


Former BYU standout and Oakland Raider tight end Todd Christensen died Wednesday morning due to complications from surgery, BYU announced.

Christensen was 57 and, per the Salt Lake Tribune, had battled liver disease and other illnesses.

As a Raider, Christensen won two Super Bowls (1980, 1983), attended five Pro Bowls (1983-1987), and twice led the NFL in receptions. In 1983, Christensen caught 92 passes for a career-high 1,247 yards and 12 touchdowns, helping lead the Raiders to a 38-9 win over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII.

Christensen retired from football in 1988.

[Hornsby]

Raider great Todd Christensen dead at age 57. RIP.


Former BYU standout and Oakland Raider tight end Todd Christensen died Wednesday morning due to complications from surgery, BYU announced.

Christensen was 57 and, per the Salt Lake Tribune, had battled liver disease and other illnesses.

As a Raider, Christensen won two Super Bowls (1980, 1983), attended five Pro Bowls (1983-1987), and twice led the NFL in receptions. In 1983, Christensen caught 92 passes for a career-high 1,247 yards and 12 touchdowns, helping lead the Raiders to a 38-9 win over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII.

Christensen retired from football in 1988.

Too sad....Christensen was THE guy to own at TE back in the day. Pure money.

[revo]

Thomas Howard, a LB released just last week by the Falcons and a 5-year starter for the Raiders and Bengals, was killed in a car accident last night. RIP.

OAKLAND (KRON) – Former Oakland Raiders linebacker Thomas Howard was one of two people killed in a high-speed crash on Interstate Highway 880 early Monday morning, sources are telling KRON 4 News.
The incident was reported on Highway 880 south of Fifth Avenue at 12:50 a.m., CHP Officer Daniel Hill said.
Witnesses said the driver of a gray BMW 750Li sedan, identified as Howard, was driving north on the highway at more than 100 mph when he lost control and collided with the rear of a semi-truck in the left lane, according to the CHP.

[revo]

(CNN) -- He picked up the Pittsburgh Steelers from the bottom of the pile, and when he finished with them, they had become a fearsome powerhouse. Chuck Noll, the man who led his team to four Super Bowl victories -- the most by any head coach -- died late Friday. He was 82.

Family was by his side when Noll passed away of natural causes at his home in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County medical examiner's office said. He had suffered from Alzheimer's and heart disease.

[madducks]

”When Chuck became our head coach he brought a change to the whole culture of the organization,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement. “He set a new standard for the Steelers that still is the foundation of what we do and who we are.”

Emporer Chaz.jpg

RIP Chuck Noll

[madducks]

Most people don't realize that Chuck Noll also won championships as a player with Cleveland in 1954 & 1955. He then won an AFL championship as a defensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers in 1963. He was also defensive coordinator of the 1968 Baltimore Colts team that lost to the Jets in Super Bowl III (16-7) despite the fact that his defense only gave up one touchdown to Joe Namath & co. Noll really did bring a winning attitude with him when he arrived in Pittsburgh.

[revo]

Former Cowboys great Robert Newhouse died a few weeks ago at age 64 from a stroke. Damn, that makes me feel old. RIP.

[Steve]

My favorite Newhouse play.

[griswold]

Former Cowboys great Robert Newhouse died a few weeks ago at age 64 from a stroke. Damn, that makes me feel old. RIP.

Yeah, this happened near HOF weekend because Mel Renfro and other Cowboys stayed back and attended his funeral.

Very sad.

[revo]

Longtime Titans kicker Rob Bironas was killed in a one-car accident last night at age 36. RIP.

[Judge Jude]

he just married Terry Bradshaw's daughter in June, too...