Patriots' Stingley dies at 55

[BAMAPHIN 22]

Former Patriots first-round pick Darryl Stingley was paraylzed after a hard hit during an exhibition game in 1978.


Former New England Patriots' receiver Darryl Stingley, who was paralyzed after a hard hit during an NFL exhibition game nearly 30 years ago, has died. He was 55.

Stingley was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital early Thursday after he was found unresponsive in his Chicago home, according to Tony Brucci an investigator with the Cook County medical examiner's office.
An autopsy was scheduled. The cause of death was not immediately available.

Stingley played football until August 12, 1978, when the 26-year-old receiver went up for a pass during an exhibition game and was hit from behind by Oakland Raiders' safety Jack Tatum. The hit broke Stingley's neck and left him a quadriplegic. Tatum, nicknamed "The Assassin," was a former Ohio State star legendary for his hard hits.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/04/05/stingley.obit.ap/index.html

 

[ZachThomas_54]

Even though I hate the Pats, nobody deserves that. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.

 

[PrepDogg]

Sad story indeed.

 

[mf52dolphin]

Yes his situation was a sad story.
The Patsies more or less turned their back on him(of course this was when the classless Sulivan family owned the team, and the coach was Chuck Fairbanks a vain, egotististitcal, college superstar coach, would abandon the team for a college job at the end of the year(sounds familiar)). The only person who seemed to care for him was John Madden.
Madden visited him, and arranged for whatever treatment Stingley could get. The guilt Madden suffered of seeing one his players causing this to happen, and his attempts to help, made Madden's stress much worse, and it led to his premature retirement by the end of the season.

 

[TheBeast99]

Rip