American Football Players

[Skinny kiltrunner 553]

35 minutes ago, Sir Creep said:

Former Vikings guard Milt Sunde has died. Sunde was 78.

Sunde was in hospice care after battling Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

 

The Vikings made Sunde a 20th-round selection in 1964. 
I highlight this as the NFL is holding their annual draft TODAY, and despite twice as many teams as in 1964, there are only 7 rounds.  This guy would have never made a roster nowadays.

He played 11 seasons.  Sunde made the Pro Bowl in 1966.  He played 147 games with 133 starts and also saw action in 11 playoff games. He appeared in two Super Bowls.

SC

 

 

I know very little about NFL, but doesn't it make sense that there are fewer round with more teams? There just wouldn't be enough players to go around. But yeah, he must have been a late bloomer to have gone for 11 seasons. The dementia angle makes sense- that would have made for a crap ton of blows to the head. 

[Sir Creep 7,070]

1 hour ago, Skinny kiltrunner said:

I know very little about NFL, but doesn't it make sense that there are fewer round with more teams? There just wouldn't be enough players to go around. But yeah, he must have been a late bloomer to have gone for 11 seasons. The dementia angle makes sense- that would have made for a crap ton of blows to the head. 

Dementia/Alzheimer's very likely CTE.  OTOH 78 yrs old so maybe just 'natural' dementia lol.

 

College players who don't get drafted can sign a contract to play with any of the 32 teams, and usually survive practice and pre-season (when rosters are 75+ players), but teams must cut down to 47-man rosters when the season begins, and only a few such undrafted players will make each team.  Some (like Mr. Sunde) do end up with long productive careers, because of course the draft isn't an exact science by any means.  In fact roughly 40% of FIRST round picks will be 'busts' any given year.  Expensive busts lol.  
So doing the math(s), back then 24 teams x (at least) 20 rounds = 480 players drafted.  Presently 32 x 7 rounds = 224 players drafted.  Meaning the final 256 players chosen in 1964 would have been leftovers that could land on a team as shown above.
 

[Sir Creep 7,070]

Harland Svare, a starting linebacker on the New York Giants’ 1956 NFL championship team and later the team’s defensive coach while still a player, has died. He was 89.

The Yampa Valley Funeral Home reported on its website that Svare died on April 4.

 

For many years, Svare also held the distinction of being the NFL's youngest head coach at 31 years, 11 months. He was elevated from defensive line coach to head coach by the Los Angeles Rams midway through the 1962 season.  Lane Kiffin of the Raiders and Sean McVay, the Rams’ current coach, subsequently were made head coaches at younger ages.

Svare was a 17th-round draft choice of the Rams in 1953 out of Washington State University.  He joined the Giants prior to the 1955 season.
SC

[gcreptile 10,964]

Former Green Bay Packers player Ryan Wetnight dead from stomach cancer at 49:

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/former-bears-tight-end-ryan-wetnight-died-friday-morning

 

His cancer had been made public, but I think it was already 2 years ago or so.

[alt obits guy 3,371]

Dick Lucas, one of the starters on the 1960 Philadelphia Eagles championship team, has died. He was 86. (Cross-posted in the How Long Until We're Dickless thread. Could've also been included in Notable Coronavirus Victims thread.)

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/former-eagles-end-dick-lucas-dies-from-covid-19-at-86/ar-BB13utIc?li=BBnbfcL

 

[YoungWillz 21,028]

On ‎16‎/‎09‎/‎2016 at 13:24, Wee Jum said:

As I said in the ideas thread another going offering would be

 

Former Miami Dolphiins head coach Don Shula who lead Miami to a perfect season in 1972

 

86 years old and recieving round the clock care

Don Shula apparently dead this morning.

 

Dolphins Statement:

 

[TomTomTelekom 3,727]

FOX News is reporting:

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/don-shula-legendary-nfl-head-coach-dies

[Joey Russ 7,220]

Mail obit for ddp

[RIP Wee Jum 1,559]

6 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

Don Shula apparently dead this morning.

 

Dolphins Statement:

 

 

He will still be popping the champagne open in heaven for years to come, when the last NFL team loses there 100% record

 

RIP coach

 

[MrWonderful 480]

Just two losing seasons in 33 years as a head coach.  Legend.  Also becomes my eighth hit so far.  RIP.  

[torbrexbones 717]

First head coach that I ever knew the name of.

rip

[Sir Creep 7,070]

So I’m going to cross post this a few threads, so please indulge me this once.

 

I now know someone personally who has died from C19.  This was my high school (American) football coach.  So this was rather stunning and sad news.  I also graduated with their daughter, meaning she is experiencing the unthinkable.

RIP coach.

SirC

———————————

 

Armand Vigna, the former Livonia Franklin head coach, who coached football for more than 40 years, helped the Patriots to its only state title in 1975, the first Division 1 state title in the history of Michigan high school football. 

Vigna and his wife Ruthie died April 28 from the coronavirus within 12 hours of each other. Both were 84. 

[Ulitzer95 12,577]

 

 
Tweet from the San Francisco 49ers confirming the death of Jesse Freitas Sr. at the age of 99.

He was on their inaugural team in 1946 and was also the second oldest living NFL player after Cecil Souders.

[Sir Creep 7,070]

11 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

 

 
Tweet from the San Francisco 49ers confirming the death of Jesse Freitas Sr. at the age of 99.

He was on their inaugural team in 1946 and was also the second oldest living NFL player after Cecil Souders.

 

https://www.oldest.org/sports/living-football-players/

I think we’ve already lost 4 from this list in 5 months.  I may be miremembering Trippi’s death.  

[Death Impends 7,957]

30 minutes ago, Sir Creep said:

 

https://www.oldest.org/sports/living-football-players/

I think we’ve already lost 4 from this list in 5 months.  I may be miremembering Trippi’s death.  

 

Trippi is still alive. Didn't realize there were still three living NFL players born in 1921.

[CastAway 488]

Dave Smith, who played for the Steelers, Oilers, and Chiefs, dead at 73:

https://www.wccsradio.com/2020/05/22/iup-great-former-steelers-receiver-dave-smith-passes-away/

[Joey Russ 7,220]

Floyd Little, formerly of the Denver Broncos is fighting cancer.

Could he replace Chris Doleman for your teams in 2021?

[MrWonderful 480]

2 hours ago, Joey Russ said:

Floyd Little, formerly of the Denver Broncos is fighting cancer.

Could he replace Chris Doleman for your teams in 2021?

We just don't know what kind of cancer it is.  I saw it on another article described as a "treatable but aggressive form of cancer."  Definitely needs to be put on watch lists.

[TomTomTelekom 3,727]

Former football coach Pat Dye who won four SEC titles at Auburn, where he coached from 1981 to 1992 dead at 80 years . He is a three-time SEC Coach of the Year Award winner, winning the award in 1983, 1987 and 1988.

https://eu.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2020/06/01/pat-dye-legendary-auburn-football-coach-has-died/5309563002/

[Sir Creep 7,070]

1 hour ago, TomTomTelekom said:

Former football coach Pat Dye who won four SEC titles at Auburn, where he coached from 1981 to 1992 dead at 80 years . He is a three-time SEC Coach of the Year Award winner, winning the award in 1983, 1987 and 1988.

https://eu.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2020/06/01/pat-dye-legendary-auburn-football-coach-has-died/5309563002/

Pat Dyed?

[GuyFromFuture 69]

On 30/05/2020 at 20:07, Joey Russ said:

Floyd Little, formerly of the Denver Broncos is fighting cancer.

Could he replace Chris Doleman for your teams in 2021?

 

He will die April 14 2023

[Sir Creep 7,070]

Bad 24 hours for the SEC! 

 

Johnny Majors, the college football coach who led the University of Tennessee to three SEC championships and the University of Pittsburgh to a national championship, has died. He was 85.

Majors died early Wednesday at his home in Knoxville, Tennessee.

SC

 

[MrWonderful 480]

3 minutes ago, Sir Creep said:

Bad 24 hours for the SEC! 

 

Johnny Majors, the college football coach who led the University of Tennessee to three SEC championships and the University of Pittsburgh to a national championship, has died. He was 85.

Majors died early Wednesday at his home in Knoxville, Tennessee.

SC

 

Beat me to it.  Seems like there have been a lot of Hall of Fame deaths lately in basketball and football.  

[YoungWillz 21,028]

Suggested as one of the best defensive players of the Cincinnati Bengals, report of the death of Ken Riley at 72:

 

[alt obits guy 3,371]

Reche Caldwell, a former wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins, has died during a robbery attempt. He was 41. Caldwell was the would-be victim of the robbery attempt and died en route to hospital after being shot at least twice.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/06/07/reche-caldwell-killed-41?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sinow&xid=socialflow_twitter_si&utm_source=twitter.com