NFL
By: Greg Rector
Each year we sadly lose great athletes from the past, as well as those taken way too soon. This is a list of notable passings from the world of sports in 2021. We honor those athletes and recognize their contributions here in Memorium.
January 2021
Henry Aaron – Aged 89. The one-time Home Run King was so revered for his play on the field and his life off the field as well. In 1974 despite death threats and facing a vile level of racist acts surpassed Babe Ruth’s 714 career home runs. If you were alive at the time, those aspects weren’t fully known to us fans. Aaron remains one of the most consistent players of any era. However, his humanitarian efforts off the field were just as great a contribution.
Floyd Little – Aged 78. The third great Syracuse running back of the 50s and 60s era after Ernie Davis and Jim Brown, Little went on to have a good career for the Denver Broncos in both the AFL and NFL. Little was a charter member deservedly so of the Broncos “Ring of Honor,” in 1984. He is one of just four Super Bowl-era players to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame without ever playing in a post-season game.
Paul Westphal- Aged 70/ The former NBA guard turned coach passed away from brain cancer. He won an NBA title with the Celtics in 1974 but is far more remembered as a player and coach with the Phoenix Suns.
Tommy Lasorda- Aged 93. Lasorda manager of the Dodgers from 1976 to 1996 was simply the most identifiable member of the Dodgers organization for decades. He won the World Series as Dodgers manager in 1981 and 1988. Lasorda broke the mold of managers, he befriended his players something of a taboo back in the 70s. He knew every name of players’ wives and kids, he asked about them often. Lasorda was a tremendous storyteller and fans loved hearing his stories. Fondly remembered as well in Montreal (All-time wins leader for the minor-league Montreal Royals) he was a bridge for younger fans back to post-World War Two era baseball, having been a teammate of Jackie Robinson in Montreal, through to the modern era. Lasorda managed an incredible 9 different Rookie of the Year winners.
Don Sutton- Aged 78. Another member of the Dodgers family (Though he pitched for 4 other teams) his stint as a Dodgers pitcher is best-known. The Hall of Fame pitcher won 324 games and after his pitching career ended he became a well-known broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves.
Ted Thompson – Aged 68. Thompson as general manager of the Green Bay Packers from 2005 to 2017 oversaw two Super Bowl champions and drafted some guy named Aaron Rodgers. Considered one of the best talent evaluators of his era.
Sekou Smith- Aged 48. Smith while not involved as an athlete or part of management, was one of the most respected journalists in basketball. He worked for NBA.com and sadly died of complications of COVID.
John Chaney- Aged 89. If you mention the Temple Owls, the very first name you think of is that of John Chaney who coached the Owls from 1962 to 2006. Inducted into both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Collegiate basketball HOF, the long-time coach led the Owls to 17 NCAA tournaments. He was outspoken and once went after John Calipari including threatening to kill him. He embodied “Philly Toughness,” and was loved in the City of Brotherly Love. Also inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame (The 5 Philadelphia Universities)
February 2021
Pedro Gomez– Aged 58. Gomez became part of our lives for his work following Barry Bond’s chase of the home-run record. For three years until Bonds broke the record Gomez was there to chronicle the chase. He worked for ESPN from 2001 until his untimely passing from a heart attack.
Grant Jackson – Aged 78. Jackson was the game seven World Series-winning pitcher for the “We Are Family,” era Pittsburgh Pirates who had an eighteen-year MLB career. He passed from COVID complications as well.
Tony Trabert – Aged 90. One of the greatest tennis players of his era Trabert won 10 grand slam titles 5 singles, 5 doubles, and was then was a long-time voice of tennis on CBS.
Leon Spinks – Aged 67. Spinks became the heavyweight boxing champion of the world in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport in 1978 in just his eighth professional bout, Spinks scored a split decision victory over Muhammad Ali. Spinks would then lose the rematch. In 1976 at the Montreal Olympics Spinks and brother Michael (also later a heavyweight champion) were gold medal winners on what might have been the greatest U.S. Olympic boxing team ever. His life sadly spiraled downhill after having two other losing efforts to regain the heavyweight title. He died of prostate cancer.
Marty Schottenheimer– Aged 77. One of the most beloved head coaches in NFL history Schottenheimer won 205 games a head coach for Kansas City, Cleveland, San Diego, and finally Washington. Never able to win a Super Bowl though, Schottenheimer nonetheless was a tremendous coach who routinely got more out of less on his teams.
Vincent Jackson- Aged 38. Jackson had a decent career with the Chargers and Buccaneers for 12 seasons, including three Pro Bowl seasons. Sadly, he was never able to overcome his battle with alcoholism and was found dead in a hotel room this year.
Darrius Johnson- Aged 47. Johnson was a cornerback for the back-to-back Denver Broncos Super Bowl winners in the late 1990s.
Louis Nix– Aged 29. The former Notre Dame nose tackle and later member of four NFL teams were reported missing on February 24th. His body was found three days later and unfortunately, his death remains under investigation.
Joe Altobelli– Aged 88. Altobelli managed the San Francisco Giants and the Baltimore Orioles. He managed the Orioles to the 1983 World Series victory.
MARCH 2021
Walter Gretzky- Aged 82. The father of hockey’s “Great One,” Wayne Gretzky was beloved and was an example of what a sports parent should be. “Canada’s Hockey Dad,” who gave young Wayne insights into the game that no one else was thinking about such as this exchange,
Walter: “Where do you skate?”
Wayne: “To where the puck is going, not where it’s been.”
Walter: “Where’s the last place a guy looks before he passes it?”
Wayne: “The guy he’s passing to.”
Walter: “Which means…”
Wayne: “Get over there and intercept it.”
Walter: “If you get cut off, what are you gonna do?”
Wayne: “Peel.”
Walter “Which way?”
Wayne: “Away from the guy, not towards him.
Just an amazing humanitarian who for decades gave back to minor hockey. Like Wayne, Walter was also a Member of The Order of Canada, the highest civilian award in Canada.
Mark Pavelich – Aged 67. The second member of the famous “Miracle On Ice,” 1980 U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning team to pass away. Pavelich was in an assisted living facility, his family suspected that he was suffering from CTE.
Rheal Cormier- Aged 53. Cormier a Canadian-born pitcher spent 16 seasons in the big leagues. Died of complications from pancreatic cancer.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler- Aged 66. Middleweight champion of the world from 1980 to 1987. Pound for pound is one of the greatest fighters of his era easily. Defended his title 12 times including “The War,” on April 15th, 1985 against Thomas “Hitman,” Hearns the bout that only lasted for a total of eight minutes and one second, if you were alive back then you’ll remember how ferocious those moments were between the two. Hagler was irked by the boxing media who wouldn’t use “Marvelous,” when speaking of him so in 1982 he legally had his name changed.
Elgin Baylor- Aged 86. Baylor played 14 seasons in the NBA all with the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers and appeared in eight NBA finals. He was an undersized (6’5″) forward who when he was drafted in 1968 by Minneapolis was credited for saving the Lakers from extinction. Moved with the franchise to Los Angeles and was named one of the first NBA Fifty Greatest Players in 1996, remaining on this year’s top 75 list as well. Baylor spent 22 seasons later as the general manager of the Clippers.
Bobby Albeck- Aged 89. Albeck coached several NBA teams including the Chicago Bulls. He was coaching the Bulls when Michael Jordan scored 63 points in a playoff game against the Celtics.
Howard Schnellenberger- Aged 87. Schnellenberger took the opposite coaching road to success from the likes of Caroll, Johnson, and Switzer. After coaching the Baltimore Colts in 1973 and 1974, he left for the college ranks and brought the Miami Hurricanes their first national title in 1983. Also coached at Louisville, Oklahoma, and Florida Atlantic.
APRIL 2021
Bob Leonard- Aged 88. Leonard was a member of the University of Indiana Hoosiers 1953 national championship-winning team, He went on to play 8 seasons in the NBA. his fame was as the Pacers coach in the ABA, where he led them to three titles, and finally as a long-time broadcaster of Pacers games.
Terence Clarke – Aged 19. Clarke a former Kentucky Wildcat was tragically killed in a car accident at just 19 years old.
Mike Davis- Aged 65. Davis secured the Raiders Super Bowl berth in 1981 with an interception against the Browns in the AFC divisional round. The Raiders would go on to win the Super Bowl.
Geno Hayes- Aged 33. Hayes played for three NFL teams after starring at Florida State as a linebacker. He died of complications from liver disease.
MAY 2021
Colt Brennan – Aged 37. Brennan while at the University of Hawaii became at the time one of the most prolific college quarterbacks ever. His pro career could never get off the ground though he had stops in the CFL, USFL, and AFL. A serious car accident in 2010 ended his promising chances at a career. Tragically he was found dead after ingesting fentanyl. His family had been attempting to get him into rehabilitation.
Mark Eaton- Aged 64. Eaton was a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. the 7’4″ left-handed shot blocker was loved in Utah where he spent his entire NBA career. The Jazz retired his No. 53 jersey after his final season in 1994. He averaged 3.5 blocks per game in his career. he was a past President of the National Basketball Retired Players Association. Sadly he was involved in a bicycle accident.
June 2021
Jim “Mudcat,” Grant – Aged 85. Grant was the first black pitcher to win 20 games in the American League and was a key part of the Minnesota Twins 1965 World Series champion roster.
August 2021
JR Richard- Aged 71. In the late 70s and into 1980 there was no more intimidating sight than the 6’8″ Richard on the mound for the Houston Astros. From 1976 through 1979 Richard was dominant. So much so that two former National League MVP’s Dale Murphy and Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench, both said he was the toughest pitcher they ever faced. Very high praise from Bench especially given his career. Richard’s career sadly ended in 1980 after suffering a stroke at just 30 years old.
Bobby Bowden- Aged 91. The second-winningest football coach in NCAA history Bowden was simply synonymous with the Florida State Seminoles. Bringing the Seminoles to national prominence from the 70s until 2009 when he retired. Two national titles in 1993 and 1999. He is one of the most colorful men to ever coach the game. Simply put a legend. His generosity off the field should be as recognized as his coaching career.
David Patten- Aged 47. An undrafted free agent wide receiver Patten had stints with the Giants and Browns before landing with the New England Patriots. You guessed it, Patten went on to be a part of three Super Bowl-winning teams in New England. Killed tragically in a motorcycle accident.
September 2021
Tunch Ilkin- Aged 63. A two-time Pro Bowler with the Steelers who played from 1980 to 1992 in Pittsburgh, with one season in Green Bay, Ilkin was the league’s first Turkish-born player, for several years was a vice-president of the players association, and named a member of the Steelers all-time players team. He was also loved as a broadcaster locally.
Sam “Bam,” Cunningham – Aged 71. The older brother of Randall Cunningham was first prominent on the USC Trojans 1972 National Championship squad and then went on to be with Steve Grogan, about the only memorable part of the 70s Patriots teams that weren’t very good at all.
Rick Arrington- Aged 74. His career was brief as the Eagles quarterback from 1970 through 1973 but off the field, he was the father of NFL sideline reporter Jill Arrington, along with being the grandfather of actresses Elle and Dakota Fanning.
OCTOBER 2021
Jerry Remy – Aged 68. Remy spent 40 years associated with the Boston Red Sox as a player and then broadcaster. Began his career though with the California Angels.
Miguel Mena – Aged 34. Mena won over 2100 races as a jockey and over $70 million in purse money. Tragically on Halloween, he was involved in a pedestrian accident.
NOVEMBER 2021
Sam Huff – Aged 87. Along with Dick Butkus, Huff epitomized the meaning of a hard-nosed linebacker for both the Giants and Redskins. From his rookie 1956 season through until 1962 the Giants appeared in every NFL championship game. After his playing career Huff went on to be a broadcaster for the Giants initially and then for the Reskins until 2012.
Julio Lugo – Aged 45. Journeyman big league infielder who played 12 seasons for seven different MLB teams. Lugo was a member of the 2007 World Series-winning Red Sox. Died of a heart attack one day before his 46th birthday.
Lee Elder- Aged 87. Before there was a Tiger Woods, there was Lee Elder, the first black golfer to ever play at the Masters. Elder overcame the loss of his parents at the age of 10 and the pervasive racism within the sport to become the trail-blazer. He was also in 1979 the first black golfer on a U.S. Ryder Cup team.
DECEMBER 2021
Demaryius Thomas – Aged 33. Thomas spent most of his career with the Dever Broncos. A four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver. Thomas was found dead in his home earlier this month 2 weeks shy of his 34th birthday.
John Madden- Aged 85. The legendary head football coach and broadcaster changed the way we watched football. He also had a major impact on the world of video games with his iconic “John Madden Football” series. You can read more about his amazing career and life here.
We will remember these athletes for the moments they gave us as sports fans. May you cherish those memories and may they be remembered fondly by one and all.
