Former 1st Rd QB dies alone & penniless in Brevard

[ladypanther]

This is a tragic story. This guy had it all. Fell fast and hard, and never got back up.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091008/SPORTS/910080324

The link below is his last interview.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091008/SPORTS/91008031

[Falcons1stPanthers2nd]

First Falcons QB ever. Shame we couldn't put more talent around him. Hope he has finally found peace.

[John Fox]

holy poo...

[Fireball77]

Sad. Kind of reminds me of this:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/news/story?id=3209245

[Sultan33g]

That's My Fuc^ing hometown...Strange he went to Hicksville USA

[Miaoww]

And there was me thinking it was about Ryan Leaf.

[raleigh-panther]

Very Sad.

His story almost sounds like the Dennis Quaid move 'Everybody's All American'

[ladypanther]

Sad. Kind of reminds me of this:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/news/story?id=3209245

Sadly, those are very similar.

[GRWatcher]

This is why the Players Union needs to do more for the older retired players. This man should not have died alone. RIP

[Davidson Deac II]

And there was me thinking it was about Ryan Leaf.

I was thinking it would be Art Schlichter.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

This is why the Players Union needs to do more for the older retired players. This man should not have died alone. RIP

The Player's Union can only go so far. Many of these situations arise because players blow through their money or turn to drugs or alcohol, as Johnson did. I'm all for the union and other organizations helping players out, but some degree of personal responsibility needs to be exercised on the part of the player.

[Johnny Rockets]

The Player's Union can only go so far. Many of these situations arise because players blow through their money or turn to drugs or alcohol, as Johnson did. I'm all for the union and other organizations helping players out, but some degree of personal responsibility needs to be exercised on the part of the player.

Yep...78% of NFL players file for bankruptcy or are at least broke within 5 years of retiring. Top reasons are drugs, child support, and bad investments, etc. Problem isn't the players union, personal responsibilty is.

Now the guys that played decades ago and played for pennies compared to what they make now and are broke due to medical conditions that happened on the field is a different story.