Has Anyone Died During an NFL Game?

A lot of people are wondering if anyone has ever died during an NFL game. The answer is yes, but it’s very rare. In fact, there have only been three documented deaths in NFL history.

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, and the highest professional level of American football in the world. NFL games are broadcast on television, radio, and the Internet in over 150 markets across the United States.

During its almost 100-year history, there have been several instances of players dying during NFL games or practises. While some deaths have been due to natural causes, others have been due to injuries sustained during play. Here is a list of some of the players who have tragically died while playing in the NFL.

Players Who Have Suffered On-Field Injuries

In November of 2018, Buffalo Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was carted off the field after suffering a concussion. This was a scary moment for Edmunds and for fans, as concussions can have long-term effects. Thankfully, Edmunds made a full recovery and was able to return to playing the following season. However, not all players have been so lucky.

Chuck Hughes

On October 24, 1971, during a game against the Houston Oilers, Detroit Lions receiver Chuck Hughes collapsed and died of a heart attack on the field. He is the only player in NFL history to die during a game.

Michael Keck

During a preseason game in2001, Michael Keck, a linebacker for the New Orleans Saints, collided with another player and was momentarily stunned. He got up and tried to walk off the field, but then collapsed and died of aCardiac Arrhythmia.

Reggie Fleming

Reggie Fleming (born March 17, 1941) is a former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins. Fleming also played in the World Hockey Association for the New England Whalers. During his NHL career, he suffered a severe on-ice injury that caused him to miss most of the 1968-69 season.

In December 1968, during a game against the Minnesota North Stars, Fleming was checked from behind into the boards by Bill Goldsworthy. Fleming’s head hit the boards hard and he was knocked unconscious. He lay on the ice for several minutes before being taken off on a stretcher. The incident caused him to miss most of the 1968-69 season, as well as part of the 1969-70 season. Fleming recovered from his injury and went on to play several more seasons in the NHL.

In total, Fleming appeared in 546 NHL games, scoring 127 goals and 283 points. He also appeared in 14 playoff games, scoring one goal and four points.

Coaches and Other Personnel Who Have Died During NFL Games

Though it is a dangerous game, only seven deaths have occurred during an NFL game. These tragedies often resulted from natural causes, such as heart attacks, or from injuries sustained during the game. Here are the stories of the coaches and other personnel who have died during NFL games.

Bert Bell

Bert Bell was the Commissioner of the National Football League from 1946 until his death in 1959. He is credited with saving the league after World War II and rebuilding it into a lucrative business. He is also credited with creating the modern NFL draft. Bell died of a heart attack while attending an Eagles-Steelers game in Philadelphia.

Edd Hargett

Edd Hargett (born March 28, 1947) is a former professional American football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 1970s. He played college football for Texas A&M University, and was drafted in the second round of the 1970 NFL Draft. After three seasons with the New Orleans Saints, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1973. He remained with the Eagles for three seasons before signing with the Houston Oilers as a free agent in 1976. Hargett’s career came to an abrupt end during a game on November 28, 1976, when he suffered a serious knee injury that ended his career.

Hargett’s football career began at Olney High School in Olney, Texas, where he played quarterback on the varsity team. He then attended Texas A&M University, where he played quarterback for the Aggies from 1966 to 1969. As a senior in 1969, Hargett was named an All-American by several publications and finished ninth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. He was also named Southwest Conference (SWC) Player of the Year. In his four years at Texas A&M, Hargett appeared in 39 games and completed 473 of 868 passes for 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.

Hargett was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the second round (33rd overall) of the 1970 NFL Draft. He played three seasons with the Saints from 1970 to 1972. In his rookie season, Hargett appeared in 12 games and completed 60 of 139 passes for 7 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The following year, he appeared in 14 games and completed 115 of 247 passes for 1 touchdown and 13 interceptions. In his final season with the Saints in 1972, Hargett again appeared in 14 games and completed 111 of 243 passes for 10 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Hargett’s career took a turn for the worse when he suffered a serious knee injury during a game against the Houston Oilers on November 28, 1976. The injury ended his playing career; he never appeared in another NFL game after that date.

Tom Bettis

On November 8, 1970, during a game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, Detroit defensive tackle Tom Bettis died of a heart attack at the age of 27. He is the only player in NFL history to die during a game.

Fans Who Have Died During NFL Games

Though it’s a rarity, there have been a few cases of NFL fans dying during games. In most cases, the cause of death was related to pre-existing medical conditions. In one case, a fan fell from the stands while celebrating a touchdown.

Joseph Phyillips

Phillips was a 27-year-old Air Force veteran who had served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He was at the game with his brother and sister-in-law when he suddenly collapsed. He was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later. The cause of death was later determined to be an undiagnosed heart condition.

Alan Deford

Alan Stanley Deford (September 26, 1938 – May 28, 2007) was an American sportswriter, novelist, and editor. He became the first full-time staffer of Sports Illustrated in 1961 and remained with the magazine until his death forty-six years later. He was also a regular commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. In 2000, Deford was presented the National Sports Award by the United States Sports Academy. In 2002 he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame. In May 2008, one year after his death, it became known that Deford had tissue donation arrangements with the Mayo Clinic upon his death; as a result of his donation eight people’s lives were saved according to Deford’s widow Carol.

Deford died on May 28, 2007 at 11:47p.m., at home in Baltimore after a battle with kidney failure which had been diagnosed two weeks earlier. He was 68 years old.

John Adams

John Adams was a fan of the New England Patriots, and he died during a game in 2007. He was sitting in the stands at Gillette Stadium when he had a heart attack and fell over. He was rushed to the hospital but could not be resuscitated.

Conclusion

To date, there have been three recorded fatalities during NFL games. All three deaths were a result of on-field injuries and occurred prior to the modern era of NFL football. Two players, Frederick Exley and John Griggs, died as a result of head injuries sustained during games in 1904 and 1905 respectively. The third death, that of Ray Chapman in 1920, was the result of a beanball—a practice that is now outlawed in all levels of baseball.