Tag: obituary

Oct 5, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; A sign supporting Nebraska Cornhuskers announcer Greg Sharpe hangs in the stadium before a game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska play-by-play announcer dies at 61

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Greg Sharpe, the play-by-play voice for Nebraska football and baseball since 2008, died Friday at age 61.

Sharpe’s family announced his death through a statement released by the school on Saturday, 10 months after Sharpe revealed he was battling pancreatic cancer.

“While his passion and energy on the call of Husker football and baseball brought joy to so many for the past 17 seasons, it comforts us to know that his legacy will live on through these same moments that he narrated and through the relationships that he built,” his family wrote in a statement. “While the public knew him for his booming voice and infectious personality, those closest to him knew him for his loyalty and dedication to them.”

Sharpe called Nebraska’s final three football games in 2007 and became the team’s permanent announcer for Huskers Radio Network the following year, when he also took on baseball coverage.

He was in the booth for several Cornhuskers football games last fall and was honored as the Nebraska Sportscaster of the Year for the second time. The university’s athletic department renamed Sharpe’s press box workspace in his honor last month.

“Greg was more than an announcer; he was a storyteller, a champion for our student-athletes, and a constant, trusted presence for all who love this university,” Nebraska president Jeffrey P. Gold said in a release. “His impact will endure in the memories he created and the legacy he leaves behind.”

Sharpe is survived by his wife and three daughters.

–Field Level Media

Oct 2, 2021; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A general view of the Vince Lombardi trophy from of the Super Bowl VIII champions Miami Dolphins on display during the Don Shula Celebration of Life at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Howard Twilley, WR on undefeated Dolphins team, dies at 81

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Two-time Super Bowl champion Howard Twilley, a member of the Miami Dolphins’ undefeated 1972 team, has died at 81.

The National Football Foundation announced his passing on Friday, but did not provide a cause of death. The Texas native died on Wednesday.

Before landing in Miami, the wide receiver played at Tulsa. In 1965, he was named a unanimous All-American and the Heisman Trophy runner-up after averaging 13.4 receptions per game, which the NFF said remains an FBS record.

“Howard Twilley was one of the greatest receivers in college football history with an uncanny ability to get open and change the course of a game,” said Archie Manning, NFF chairman. “He simply redefined what it meant to be a dominant receiver, and his performance at Tulsa during the 1965 season remains one of the greatest in our sport’s history.”

Both the AFL’s Dolphins and the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings selected him in the late rounds of their 1966 drafts, and he wound up in Miami.

He spent 11 seasons with the Dolphins, winning back-to-back Super Bowl championships after the 1972 and 1973 seasons. In 120 career games (82 starts) in the regular season, he caught 212 passes for 3,064 yards and 23 touchdowns.

He started all three playoff games in 1972, making four receptions for 61 yards and a score.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Howard Twilley, a founding player for the Dolphins in 1966,” the team said in a statement Friday. “His touchdown in Super Bowl VII helped the Dolphins cap the NFL’s only perfect season and his contributions to the organization will be forever remembered.”

Post-retirement, Twilley owned a chain of sporting goods stores and worked for an investment firm.

–Field Level Media

Nov 3, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Chicago Bears helmet at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Bears mourn passing of owner Virginia Halas McCaskey

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Virginia Halas McCaskey, owner of the Chicago Bears for more than 40 years, died Thursday. She was 102.

McCaskey’s father, George Halas, founded the team, and she assumed ownership upon his death on Oct. 31, 1983. Her son, George, has run the franchise since he became chairman in 2011.

A cause of death was not announced.

“While we are sad, we are comforted knowing Virginia Halas McCaskey lived a long, full, faith-filled life and is now with the love of her life on earth,” the family said in a statement released by the team. “She guided the Bears for four decades and based every business decision on what was best for Bears players, coaches, staff and fans.”

McCaskey was at the helm when the Bears won their first Super Bowl — and ninth NFL championship — in 1985. She attended every home and road game that she could and had said that while she didn’t have her father’s football acumen, she always wanted to hire the best people to lead the product.

Her death is not expected to impact the ownership of the Bears. The team has a succession plan on file with the NFL, and McCaskey gave a glimpse at what it included in a 2016 interview with The Athletic.

Then, she predicted the Bears would remain family-owned “until the second coming.” Having grown up with the Bears herself, she encouraged her heirs to attend games and learn as much about the Bears’ place in Chicago and the NFL as possible.

Last month, the Bears wished McCaskey a happy 102nd birthday via social media.

She was born in Chicago in 1923, the eldest of George and Min Halas’ two children. In college at Drexel in Philadelphia, she met her future husband, Edward E. McCaskey, and they married on Feb. 2, 1943.

The McCaskeys settled in Des Plaines, Ill., in 1948 after McCaskey’s military service, and he went to work with the Bears in 1967 while his wife focused on raising their 11 children.

But when George Halas Jr., her brother, died suddenly in 1979, and followed by her father’s death, Virginia McCaskey was in charge.

As her husband and some of their children took over the day-to-day operation of the club, Virginia McCaskey focused on programs to better Chicago, founding the Bears Care program in 2005. Since then, Bears Care has issued grants totaling more than $31.5 million to local agencies.

“Her impact on the football community will never be forgotten. Our thoughts are with her family and the entire Bears organization during this difficult time,” the Pro Football Hall of Fame wrote in a statement.

Edward McCaskey passed away in 2003, followed by sons Timothy in 2011 and Michael in 2020. She is survived by nine children, 21 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue referred to her on occasion as “the first lady of the NFL,” but several women joined the ownership ranks since McCaskey did. They are Gayle Benson, New Orleans Saints; Sheila Ford Hamp, Detroit Lions; Amy Adams Strunk, Tennessee Titans; and Jody Allen, Seattle Seahawks. The list also includes three women who have ownership shares with family members: Dee Haslam (Cleveland Browns), Denise DeBartolo York (San Francisco 49ers), Carol Davis (Las Vegas Raiders) and Kim Pegula (Buffalo Bills).

–Field Level Media

Central Michigan Chippewas quarterback Tommy Lazzaro dives in for a touchdown against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks during the second half of the MAC championship game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 at Ford Field in Detroit. Mac

Ex-Central Michigan QB Tommy Lazzaro dies at 27

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Funeral services will be held Saturday for former Central Michigan quarterback Tommy Lazzaro, who died last weekend in a reported hunting accident in Florida.

He was 27.

Lazzaro enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduation and was a sergeant serving at the time of his death. He will be buried with full military honors.

At Central Michigan, Lazzaro played in 20 career games (five starts) from 2016-19.

“When we took over the program, Tommy was truly our leader in so many ways,” said Jim McElwain, who coached Lazzaro in 2019. “CMU football was blessed to have him and will always remember him for all he did for many of us. He will be missed by all of the Chippewas.”

In four seasons with the Chippewas, Lazzaro completed 72 passes for 758 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran for 542 yards and 11 touchdowns.

In his senior season, Lazzaro received the team’s Kurt Dobronski Award, given to the player who “demonstrates great effort, intensity and appreciation for the Chippewa football program,” as selected by the team.

Lazzaro also spent one season at Dodge City Community College in Kansas, where he threw for 2,237 yards, threw for 14 touchdowns and ran for five more.

–Field Level Media

Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles helmets sit on the bench during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Legendary Eagles LB Bill Bergey dies at 79

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Legendary Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey has died after a three-year cancer battle. He was 79.

Bergey’s son, Jake, announced the five-time Pro Bowl selection’s passing in a post on social media Christmas morning.

After 68 games in five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals (1969-73), Bergey played in 91 games in seven seasons with the Eagles (1974-80). He collected 27 career interceptions and 21 fumble recoveries.

His final game was Philadelphia’s 27-10 loss against the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV on Jan. 25, 1981, in New Orleans.

He earned first-team All-Pro honors in 1974 and 1975 and was runner-up to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Joe Greene in the 1974 NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Bergey was inducted into the Eagles’ Roll of Honor in 1988 and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee head coach Bill Battle, center, is asking an official what going on as his team battles against Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 29, 1973. The Vols comeback bid fell short as Texas Tech won 28-19 before 62,109. Standout freshman Stanley Morgan (21), left, looks on.

Former Vols football coach Bill Battle dies at 82

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Bill Battle, former Tennessee football coach and Alabama athletic director, has died at the age of 82.

The University of Alabama, where Battle played for Paul “Bear” Bryant from 1960-62 and served as AD from 2013-17, confirmed his passing on Thursday.

Battle compiled a 59-22-2 record over seven seasons with the Volunteers from 1970-76 and went 4-1 in bowl games before being replaced by Johnny Majors.

The Birmingham native won a national championship in 1961, playing as an end for Bryant’s Crimson Tide.

Before returning to Tuscaloosa in 2013 to lead the athletic department, he founded the Collegiate Licensing Company in 1981 and served as its president and CEO until 2002.

“Bill Battle’s legacy at The University of Alabama is profound and enduring,” university president Stuart R. Bell said. “His generosity and visionary leadership elevated our institution and enriched the lives of countless students and colleagues. His dedication to excellence and steadfast devotion to UA will inspire generations to come. We are forever grateful for his friendship and his lasting impact on our community.”

Former Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban also released a statement.

“Bill Battle was first class in every way. He represented The University of Alabama with tremendous character and integrity,” Saban said. “He was an outstanding football player at Alabama, a successful collegiate head coach and visionary who revolutionized the business of college athletics. I got to know him best when he returned to direct the Alabama athletics department where his vision and leadership were driving factors in the Crimson Tide’s success that resulted in our 2015 national championship. Terry and I are saddened by his passing and our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Mary and their entire family. He will be deeply missed.”

–Field Level Media

Gerry Faust coached at Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati before leading Notre Dame for five seasons.

Former Notre Dame coach Gerry Faust dies at 89

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Gerry Faust, Notre Dame’s football coach for five seasons in the 1980s, died Monday at age 89.

His family announced his death in a statement, calling him a “loving husband, father, grandfather and coach who dedicated his life to his family, his faith and the teams and players he coached.”

Faust coached the Fighting Irish to a 30-26-1 record from 1981-85, hired straight from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, which he had built into a powerhouse from the ground up as its first football coach. His tenure at Notre Dame was sandwiched between those of Dan Devine and Lou Holtz, both of whom won national championships at the school, but Faust’s teams never reached such heights.

His 1981 team was 5-6 — the first sub-.500 season for Notre Dame since 1963. The team never exceeded seven wins during his tenure, and he resigned after another 5-6 season in 1985.

“What I say about Coach Faust is you won’t find a guy who loved a school more, wanted to win more,” former running back Allen Pinkett told the South Bend Tribune in June 2023. “He just didn’t know how to do it, and it was kind of unfair to him to bring him straight from high school. The thing was, we had so much talent, but I think my best year we won seven games. It was so unfortunate.”

Faust’s teams at Moeller were 178-23-2, and he returned to Ohio as the head coach at Akron, posting a 43-53-3 record.

Moeller players will wear a helmet decal honoring Faust in their state semifinal game Friday night.

His family said Faust also left behind a legacy with the players he coached.

“Throughout an extraordinary life driven by an unwavering and deep devotion to his Catholic faith, he was a beloved mentor to countless young men both on and off the playing field,” his family’s statement said. “His work ethic, optimism, leadership and humility were legendary. He leaves behind a legacy of perseverance, compassion, and inspiration, reminding us all of the extraordinary impact one life can have.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a North Carolina Tar Heels helmet on the field before a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

North Carolina WR Tylee Craft dies of cancer at 23

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North Carolina wide receiver Tylee Craft, diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in the spring of 2022, has died at 23.

The school announced his death Saturday on social media.

“It is with love and fond memories that we announce Tylee Craft has begun his journey on the other side.

“Tylee meant so much to so many and affected us in ways we’ll always be thankful for. He was 1-of-1 and, while he won’t be with us in body, he’ll be watching over us with his endearing smile and endless positivity.

“On behalf of his family and our program, we sincerely thank everyone who supported Tylee during his battle with cancer. It means more than you know.”

It was in March 2022 that North Carolina’s athletic training staff arranged for testing to find the cause of Craft’s ongoing extreme back pain. The results showed he had large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, and treatment began immediately as the cancer had spread to lungs, liver and spine, according to an ESPN profile from August.

Doctors said he was within a month of dying at the time treatment began, per ESPN.

He stayed enrolled in school, graduated and began course work toward a master’s degree. He remained a part of the team as a student-coach and attended every practice and event he could.

Head coach Mack Brown said he learned just after the Tar Heels’ 41-34 loss to Georgia Tech that Craft had passed away. The news was not unexpected. Brown told his team Thursday that the cancer had spread and that Craft was entering hospice care.

“They all ran to see him and hugged him and talked to him and laughed with him,” Brown said Saturday, per The News & Observer in Raleigh. “We didn’t know.”

Brown called Craft, a South Carolina native, “an incredible young person.”

“I will say this young man fought so hard for his two and half years,” Brown said. “The doctors said he outlived what he should have, and he did it with a spirit and he did it with a smile on his face. He didn’t miss a meeting, didn’t miss a practice. He coached these other young people. He is an incredible young person.”

Craft was a three-star prospect in the Class of 2020, according to the 247Sports composite. Over two seasons, he appeared in 11 games for the Tar Heels at wide receiver and on special teams.

–Field Level Media

Aug 17, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Detroit Lions helmet during the second half of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Greg Landry, former Lions QB and assistant coach, dies at 77

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Former Detroit Lions quarterback and assistant coach Greg Landry has died at age 77, the team announced.

“We join the NFL community in mourning the loss of former Lions quarterback and coach Greg Landry,” the Lions posted Friday on social media.

His cause of death was not given.

A New Hampshire native, Landry had a standout career at UMass before being drafted by the Lions with the No. 11 overall pick in the 1968 NFL Draft. He became their starter in 1971, earning his only Pro Bowl selection in what was ultimately his best season.

He played with the Lions (1968-78) and then-Baltimore Colts (1979-81) before spending two seasons in the USFL, followed by a brief return to the NFL where in his one game in 1984 he helped the injury-riddled Chicago Bears defeat the team that drafted him.

Landry threw for 16,052 yards with 98 touchdowns and 103 interceptions in 146 games (98 starts).

He was also a top-notch rushing quarterback, gaining 2,665 yards with 21 touchdowns.

Following his playing years, Landry was an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns (1985), Bears (1986-92) and Lions (1995-96). He was the offensive coordinator for the Bears for his final five seasons there and held the same role for Illinois from 1993-94.

–Field Level Media

Jul 27, 2024; Owings Mill , MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris speaks with lineman during the afternoon session of training camp at the Under Armour Performance Center, Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens OL coach Joe D’Alessandris dies at 70

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Baltimore Ravens offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris died at age 70, the team announced Sunday.

His passing comes less than two weeks after the team said he had been diagnosed with an “acute illness” and would require “ongoing treatment for an extended period of time.”

“‘Joe D.’ was beloved throughout our entire organization and the greater NFL community,” Ravens president Sashi Brown said in a statement Sunday. “He was a passionate and devoted football coach who left an indelible mark on the lives of many. Above all, he was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather who always prioritized his faith and family.

“True to character, ‘Joe D.’ was a fighter to the very end.”

D’Alessandris was entering his eighth season as the team’s offensive line coach, culminating his 45 years in the profession. With the Ravens, he coached five Pro Bowl offensive linemen: Orlando Brown Jr., Tyler Linderbaum, Ronnie Stanley, Marshal Yanda and Kevin Zeitler.

The Ravens offensive line is coached now by George Warhop, who was hired earlier this month as D’Alessandris took his medical leave.

–Field Level Media