Apparently more former players for the Pittsburgh Steelers have died than ex-players for any other franchise. The report , published by the LA Times, details the deaths, and some of them are quite unbelievable. For those who'd rather not register for the LA Times, you can get the abbreviated version of the story, here .
Of the NFL players who played during the 70s and 80s that died after 2000, 1 in 5 was a Steeler. That's unexplainable.
The death of Steve Courson was among the more tragic accidents. The 50 year old was crushed trying to save his dog from a falling tree on his property.
Justin Strzelczyk died in a high-speed police chase in September of 2004. The former tackle died when his truck plowed into a tanker truck. It's sad that he wasn't able to stay focused and in the league longer. This accident was basically a suicide.
Sorry for the downer. The numbers just seemed staggering. As we approach the start of the 2006 season, let's hope all members of Steelers Nation remain healthy physically and mentally.