Post by mexicanjunior on Jul 7, 2011 6:46:03 GMT -6
sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6745011
Knew the name and what he did....IN!
Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey has died, according to a spokesman for the Baltimore Ravens. He was 69.
Mackey, a former president of the NFL Players Association, played 10 seasons for the Baltimore Colts and San Diego Chargers, catching 331 passes for 5,236 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Enshrined in 1992, Mackey was the second player elected to the Hall of Fame as a tight end.
In a pair of Twitter entries, current NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith paid tribute to Mackey.
"John Mackey has inspired me and will continue to inspire our players. He will be missed but never forgotten" reads a post on Smith's Twitter page.
A subsequent post reads: "John Mackey is still a leader. As President of the NFLPA he led the fight for fairness with brilliance and ferocious drive."
Drafted in 1963 from Syracuse, Mackey helped revolutionize the position by bringing the added dimension of speed, forcing defenses to account for him not only as a blocker but as a breakaway threat.
He caught 35 passes for 726 yards and a career high 20.7-yard average as a rookie in 1963, when he was selected to the Pro Bowl.
Mackey also played a crucial role in the Colts winning Super Bowl V in 1971. His catch of a Johnny Unitas pass that had been deflected by two other players -- Colts receiver Eddie Hinton and Dallas Cowboys defender Mike Renfro -- went for 75 yards and a touchdown. The Colts won 16-13 on Jim O'Brien's 32-yard field goal with 5 seconds left.
In retirement, Mackey suffered from dementia, but the cost of his care well exceeded his pension of less than $2,500 a month. His plight eventually led the NFL and the players' union to establish the "88 Plan" -- named for his uniform number -- providing for nursing home care and adult day care for retired players suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
Knew the name and what he did....IN!
