09:09 PM
12/21/24
12/21/24
July 07, 2011
Hall of Fame Tight End John Mackey Dies: Pro Football Hall of Famer John Mackey, who revolutionized the role of the tight end, has died after suffering from dementia in recent years. He was 69. Mackey teamed with quarterback Johnny Unitas to lead the Baltimore Colts to two Super Bowls. "Previous to John, tight ends were big strong guys like Ditka and Kramer who would block and catch short passes over the middle," former Colts coach Don Shula said in a past interview. "Mackey gave us a tight end who weighed 230, ran a 4.6 and could catch the bomb. It was a weapon other teams didn't have."
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posted by Debo270 at 09:58 AM on July 09, 2011
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posted by tommybiden at 11:28 AM on July 09, 2011
RIP What a man. And a truly fearsome weapon. He was riveting to watch. You couldn't help but notice where he was and what he was doing on every play.
Good as Dallas Clark is, I'll bet Peyton would give anything to have had the chance to throw to Mackey in his prime even for just one game.
When someone of John Mackey's caliber as an individual dies prematurely after suffering dementia, it raises the horrific cost that the sport exacts beyond the previously existing level of unacceptability.