Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Ron Johnson, former defensive back with the Pittsburgh Steelers died on July 9, at the age of 62.


https://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/07/r ... way-at-62/

Could someone clear up the death of Leon White? He is mentioned as a LB who played for the Bengals and Rams from 1986-1993 and wrestled as Big Van Vader. Wikipedia (which I know is not an unimpeachable source) has the wrestler as an offensive lineman drafted in the 3rd round of the 1978 draft by the Rams. It also says he played in Super Bowl 14 but he does not show in the gamebook. I don't think he actually played in an regular season NFL game . Thanks.

Ken Pullis wrote:Could someone clear up the death of Leon White? He is mentioned as a LB who played for the Bengals and Rams from 1986-1993 and wrestled as Big Van Vader. Wikipedia (which I know is not an unimpeachable source) has the wrestler as an offensive lineman drafted in the 3rd round of the 1978 draft by the Rams. It also says he played in Super Bowl 14 but he does not show in the gamebook. I don't think he actually played in an regular season NFL game . Thanks.

I'm not a wrestling fan, but after examining the wikipedia article and pro football reference.com, I do think Vader, aka Leon Allen White, was drafted by the Rams in the third round of the 1978 draft. He never suited up for an NFL regular season or postseason game, or else he would have had a record at PFR.com, by that point he would have shown up in the NFL Record Manual with game appearances as gamebooks since the 1970 merger listed all players who appeared in the game and who suited up but did not appear in the game. I went thru what gamebooks I had for the 1979 Rams season (I had most of them, including all of the postseason games), and never saw White's name listed in any of the Rams gamebooks.

Thomas Leon White, who went to BYU and played for the Bengals and Rams from 1986-93, is not Vader. In the Wikipedia article, Vader is listed as Leon Allen White, born in May 1955. This would have made Vader a 31-year old NFL rookie, which is not unusual. According to the Wikipedia article, Vader made his wrestling debut in 1985, which would conflict with his NFL career with the Bengals and Rams. The fact that he would have been a 31-year old NFL rookie also debuting in professional wrestling would have brought him national attention as a Bo Jackson of sorts and we never heard of him. I have to conclude that Leon Allen White aka Vader was drafted by the Rams in 1978, went on injured reserve, and never suited up or played in a regular or postseason NFL game, and went into rassling in 1985.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... itLe20.htm

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... /draft.htm

Wikipedia needs to be corrected.

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2018/07/1 ... catch.html

Dwight Clark, the NFL 49ers legend who died last month after a battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease, was laid to rest on the team’s former owner’s Montana ranch right next to the goalpost used in the game where he brought down his famous catch.

Bruce Maher, former defensive back with the Detroit Lions and New York Giants died on July 6, at the age of 80.


https://www.krausefuneralhome.com/obituary/bruce-maher/

Former Steelers CB Ron Johnson died July 10th, aged 62.

https://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/07/r ... way-at-62/

Former Lions Head Coach Darryl Rogers died July 11th, aged 83.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... dies-at-83

Kind of interesting how before he went to the Giants, Bruce Maher likely played most of his high school, college, and professional home games within Detroit.

Former Steelers DT Gabriel "Gabe" Rivera (nicknamed "Senor Sack"), who was their 1st round pick in 1983 and was paralyzed in a car accident during his rookie season, died on Monday July 15th in San Antonio. He was 57 years old.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... 791825002/

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... veGa20.htm