Football Players and Coaches Who Died in 2007

At the end of each calendar year, people often look back to see people of note who have passed away within the last 12 months. Football lost five prominent individuals, according to the Web site Dead or Alive. Among those that football lost in 2007 were a college coach with an incredible amount of victories, an NFL coach with a wonderful resume full of championships, and a pair of wide receivers-one who starred in an early Super Bowl and one who took a violent hit in a meaningless exhibition contest and never walked again. Lastly, and perhaps most tragic, a current NFL All-Pro safety was killed in the prime of his young life by a senseless act of violence.

Eddie Robinson began coaching varsity football at historically black Grambling University in Louisiana in 1941 and didn't step down until he had amassed 408 triumphs over 56 campaigns. At one time Robinson was the winningest coach in NCAA football history; he was ultimately surpassed in 2003 by John Gagliardi of St. John's University in Minnesota. Robinson, who passed away in April at the age of 88, sent over 200 players to the professional football ranks, among them were Hall of Famers Buck Buchanan, Charlie Joiner, Willie Davis, and Willie Brown. In addition, Eddie Robinson tutored black quarterbacks James Harris and Doug Williams, who each made great contributions as African-American players at the position.

Bill Walsh took over a moribund San Francisco 49ers franchise in 1979 and cleverly acquired players such as Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, and Charles Haley to build a pro football dynasty. Walsh would go 102-63-1 in his ten years at the helm of the 49ers, leading the club to a trio of Super Bowl wins. Walsh also coached collegiate football at Stanford for two separate stints with much success. The number of coaches currently or formerly in the NFL and college that learned and refined their trade under Bill Walsh is astounding. He died in late July at 75 from leukemia, 14 years after being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Darryl Stingley was a talented wide receiver who starred at Purdue University, one that was taken in the 1973 draft in the first round by the New England Patriots. Stingley spent five seasons with the Pats, developing into a speedy and dangerous deep threat, but in an exhibition game in August of 1978, the Raiders Jack Tatum hit him after a play was over with a blatant forearm that made him a quadriplegic for the rest of his days. His broken neck forced Darryl into a wheelchair for the remainder of his life- one that ended this April when he succumbed to pneumonia and heart disease brought about by his condition. Stingley was 55 when he died.

Max McGee was a wide receiver for the Packers of the 1950s and 60s, a member of five NFL championship squads. Max also was the Green Bay punter for a time early in his career, after coming to the Pack from Tulane University. McGee was a prolific flanker on some of the pre-Lombardi teams, and he played key roles in their title runs later on. Reportedly hung-over in Super Bowl I because he had played so sparingly during the season he felt he would not get in the game, he caught 7 balls for over 130 yards and 2 scores in a 35-10 trouncing of the Chiefs. The next year he contributed to the title victory against the Raiders and then retired after the contest. Max McGee died in October when he fell off his roof while attempting to clear the leaves on it away; he was 75 years old.

Sean Taylor was a member of the Washington Redskins in 2007, a Pro-Bowl safety known for his hard-hitting style. Sean was a standout defensive presence at the University of Miami, but also had several scrapes with the law. Taylor was injured this season and recuperating at his home in Florida when his home was burglarized and he was shot in the leg by one of the four assailants. Taylor died from the massive loss of blood the next day, on November 27th. He was posthumously honored with his second Pro-Bowl selection, little consolation for those who knew and cared about him.

http://www.deadoraliveinfo.com/

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/