The World of Football

NOTE: The intent of the News Section is not to dwell on negative stories that are more suited to be found in the Police and Crime Section of your local newspaper, but to report and document stories that cover the entire realm of The World of Football. Chances are, you may not have seen some of these stories before.

(Obituary) February 19, 2023 - Red McCombs, a former NFL and NBA owner, dies at the age of 95. McCombs bought the Minnesota Vikings for $250 million in 1998. He sold the team to Zygi Wilf before the 2005 NFL season. Prior to owning the Vikings, McCombs also was the owner the NBA San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets.

(Obituary) February 14, 2023 – Charlie Ferguson, a tight end and wide receiver in the NFL and the American Football League, dies at the age of 83. Ferguson played college football at Tennessee State. He signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Browns in 1961 and played one season in Cleveland. He also played for the Minnesota Vikings in 1962 and the Buffalo Bills from 1963-1969. He won back-to-back AFL titles with the Bills in 1964 and 1965.

(Obituary) February 14, 2023 – Greg McMackin, a longtime assistant coach in college, the NFL and the United States Football League, dies at the age of 77. McMackin began his college coaching career at Western Oregon State in 1973. He went on to coach at Idaho, San Jose State, Stanford, Oregon Tech, Utah, Navy, Miami and Texas Tech. He was the head coach at Hawaii 2008-2011. He also coach in the pros with the USFL Denver Gold in 1985, the Seattle Seahawks from 1995-1998 and the San Francisco 49ers from 2003-2005.

(Obituary) February 14, 2023 – Allen Green, a punter and place kicker in the NFL for one season, dies at the age of 84. Green played college football at Mississippi where he was a lineman, helping lead the team to a college football national championship in 1960. He was selected in the eighth round of the 1961 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. However, the Giants traded him to the expansion Dallas Cowboys, where he played his lone NFL season in 1961.

(Obituary) February 13, 2023 – Conrad Dobler, a guard in the NFL for 10 seasons, dies at the age of 72. Dobler played college football at Wyoming and was selected in the fifth round of 1972 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He played for the Cardinals from 1972-1977. He also played for the New Orleans Saints in 1978 and 1979 and the Buffalo Bills in 1980 and 1981. He was called “Pro Football’s Dirtiest Player” in a cover story in Sports Illustrated on July 25, 1977. His 1989 autobiography was titled, “They Call Me Dirty.”

(Obituary) February 11, 2023 – Kevin Bell, a wide receiver and kick returner in the NFL for one season, dies at the age of 67. Bell played college football at Lamar University and was selected in the 12th round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. However, he was traded to the New York Jets, where he played one season in 1978. Bell was inducted into the Lamar University Cardinal Hall of Honor, for track and football, in 2002.

(Obituary) February 10, 2023 – Larry Coyer, a longtime assistant coach in the NFL, College and the United States Football League, dies at the age of 79. Coyer began his coaching career at Marshall in 1969. He also spent time as a college assistant at Bowling Green, Iowa, Oklahoma State and Iowa State through 1982. He also spent three seasons coaching in the USFL with the Michigan Panthers in 1983 and 1984 and the Memphis Showboats in 1985. He won a USFL title with the Panthers in 1983. Coyer also coached for several NFL teams including the New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins through 2013. Coyer finished his coaching career back in college with New Mexico State in 2014.

(Obituary) February 9, 2023 – Dimitrious Stanley, a wide receiver in the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League, dies of prostate cancer at the age of 48. Stanley played college football at Ohio State and was not selected in the NFL. He signed with the CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1998, where he played one season. He also played for the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League in 1999 and 2000.

(Obituary) February 5, 2023 – Kaye Vaughan, a lineman in the Canadian Football League for 13 seasons, dies at the age of 91. Vaughan played college football at Tulsa and was selected in the 12th round of the 1953 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts. However, he chose to sign with the CFL Ottawa Rough Riders and played for the team from 1953-1964. He won a Grey Cup title with Ottawa in 1960 and finished his playing career with the Montreal Alouettes in 1965. Vaughan was inducted into the University of Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1990.

(Obituary) February 4, 2023 – Paul Martha, a wide receiver, running back and defensive back in the NFL for seven seasons, dies at the age of 80. Martha played college football at the University of Pittsburgh and was selected with the 10th overall pick in 1964 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was also selected in the ninth round of the 1964 American Football League Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He signed with the Steelers and played for the team from 1964-1969. He finished his playing career with the Denver Broncos in 1970. Martha went on to be the president of the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League in the 1984.

(Obituary) February 4, 2023 – Marv Kellum, a linebacker in the NFL for four seasons, dies at the age of 70. Kellum played college football at Wichita State. He signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent and played for the team for three seasons from 1974-1976. He won two Super Bowls with the Steelers. He finished his playing career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1977.

(Obituary) February 1, 2023 – Stanley Wilson, Jr., a defensive back in the NFL for three seasons, dies at the age of 40. Wilson played college football at Stanford and was selected in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He played in Detroit from 2005-2007. His playing career was cut short by an Achilles tendon injury.

(Obituary) February 1, 2023 – Don Bramlett, a defensive tackle in the NFL for one season, dies at the age of 60. Bramlett played college football at Memphis. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent and played as a replacement player in three games for the team during the 1987 strike season.

(Obituary) January 31, 2023 – Henry Moore, a defensive back and a halfback in the NFL for two seasons, dies at the age of 88. Moore played college football at Arkansas and was selected in the second round of the 1956 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played for the Giants in 1956 and won an NFL title with the team. He also played for the Baltimore Colts in 1957. Moore as elected to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.

(Obituary) January 31, 2023 – Cleve Bryant, who coached in college and in the NFL, dies at the age of 75. Bryant played college football at Ohio University and was selected in the 11th round of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He did not make the team and eventually went into coaching. He was an assistant coach at Miami (Ohio) In 1977 and at the University of North Carolina from 1978-1981. From 1982-1984, he was an assistant coach with the NFL New England Patriots. Bryant was the head coach the Ohio University from 1985-1989 and posted a record of 9-44-2. From 1990-1997, he was an assistant coach at Illinois, Texas and North Carolina. Bryant was also the associate Athletic Director at Texas from 1998-2011.

(Obituary) January 30, 2023 – Bobby Beathard, who worked in the NFL for 38 years, dies at the age of 86. Beathard started out as a scout with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1966. He also worked for the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins, In 1978, he was hired as the general manager of the Washington Redskins and he was also the GM of the San Diego Chargers from 1990-1999. Beathard who led his teams to four Super Bowl championships was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2018.

(Obituary) January 28, 2023 – Sidney Thornton, who was a running back in the NFL and the United States Football League, dies at the age of 68. Thornton played college football at Northwest State and was selected in the second round of the 1977 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the Steelers for six seasons, from 1977-1982, and won two Super Bowls. He finished his playing career with the USFL Oklahoma Outlaws in 1984.

(Obituary) January 26, 2023 – Dave Albright, a linebacker in the United States Football League and the Canadian Football League over seven seasons, dies of a heart attack at the age of 63. Albright played college football at San Jose State and signed as a free agent with the Memphis Showboats of the USFL in 1985. He also played for the CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1986-1991. He won a Grey Cup title with Saskatchewan in 1989.

(Obituary) January 26, 2023 – Jessie Lemonier, a defensive end in the NFL for two seasons, dies at the age of 25. The cause of death was not immediately released. Lemonier played college football at Liberty University and signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020 where he appeared in six games. He also played in seven games for the Detroit Lions in 2021.

(Obituary) January 22, 2023 – Greg Patrick, who played in the Canadian Football League and the World League of American Football over three seasons, dies at the age of 53. Patrick played college football at Brown University. He signed as a free agent with the CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats where he played in 1994 and 1995. He finished his brief playing career with the WLAF Frankfurt Galaxy in 1996.

(Obituary) January 21, 2023 – Gary Pettigrew, a defensive lineman in the NFL for nine seasons, dies at the age of 78. Pettigrew played college football at Stanford and was selected in the second round of the 1966 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was also selected in the sixth round of the 1966 American Football League Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He signed with the Eagles and played in Philadelphia from 1966-1974. He was traded to the New York Giants during the 1974 season where he finished his playing career.

(Obituary) January 19, 2023 – George Rose, a defensive back in the NFL for four seasons, dies at the age of 81. Rose played college football at Auburn and was selected in the third round of the 1963 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, He was also selected in the third round of the 1963 American Football League Draft by the Buffalo Bills. Rose signed with the Vikings and played for the team from 1964-1966. He finished his playing career with the New Orleans Saints in 1967. Rose was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

(Obituary) January 18, 2023 – Johnny Cagle, a defensive end in the American Football League for one season, dies at the age of 75. Cagle played college football at Clemson and was selected in the 14th round of the 1969 NFL Draft by the Boston Patriots.

(Obituary) January 16, 2023 – Ed Beard, a linebacker in the NFL for eight seasons, dies at the age of 83. Beard played college football at Tennessee and was selected in the 14th round of the 1964 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He was also selected in the 20th round of the 1964 American Football League Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He signed with the 49ers and played his entire career with the team from 1965-1972. He went on to be an assistant coach with the 49ers from 1973-1977, the New Orleans Saints in 1980 and the Detroit Lions in 1983 and 1984.

(Obituary) January 11, 2023 – Charles White, a running back in the NFL for eight seasons, dies at the age of 64. White played college football at USC and won the 1979 Heisman Trophy. He was also named Rose Bowl MVP twice, in 1979 and 1980. White was selected with the 27th overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He played for the Browns from 1980-1984 but missed the 1983 season due to an ankle injury. He finished his playing career with the Los Angeles Rams from 1985-1988 where he played for his old college coach, John Robinson, who was now coaching the Rams.

(Obituary) January 9, 2023 – Ahmaad Galloway, a running back who played briefly in NFL Europe, dies at the age of 42. Galloway played college football at Alabama and was selected in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He sat out the 2003 NFL season with an injury and was then sent to play for the Scottish Claymores in 2004. Galloway was then traded to the San Diego Chargers and sent to play for the Frankfurt Galaxy in 2005. He was then released by the Chargers and never did play in the NFL.

(Obituary) January 6, 2023 – Frank Molden, a defensive tackle in the NFL for three seasons, dies at the age of 80. Molden played college football at HBCU Jackson State and was selected in the 11th round of the 1965 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was also selected in the fifth round of the 1965 American Football League Draft by the Houston Oilers. He ended up signing with the Los Angeles Rams where he played in 1965. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1968 and the New York Giants in 1969.

(Obituary) January 6, 2023 – Fred Benners, a quarterback in the NFL for one season, dies at the age of 92. Benners played college football at SMU and was selected in the eighth round of the 1951 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played for the Giants in 1952.

(Obituary) January 4, 2023 – Calvin Muhammad, a wide receiver in the NFL for five seasons, dies at the age of 64. Muhammad played college football at Texas Southern University and was selected in the 12th round of the 1980 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders moved to Los Angeles in 1982 and Muhammad played for the Los Angeles Raiders in 1982 and 1983. He won Super Bowl XVIII (18) with the Raiders in his rookie season. He also played for the Washington Redskins in 1984 and 1985 and the San Diego Chargers in 1987.

(Obituary) January 1, 2023 – Art McNally, the first NFL game official to ever be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, dies at the age of 97. McNally started out as a Field Judge in 1959 and then serves as a Referee from 1960-1967. After that, he took the position of NFL Supervisor of Officials until he retired in 1991. After his 1991 retirement, McNally became the Supervisor of Officials for the World League of American Football. He returned to the NFL in 1995 as Assistant Supervisor of Officiating and continued in that role until 2007. From 2007 to 2015, he was an officiating observer and trainer. McNally is a member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and was the first recipient of the National Association of Sports Officials “Golden Whistle Award” in 1988. He was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022.