These Steelers Men Died too Young

If you have never heard the story of the strange and tragic passings of former Steelers players that took the field for Pittsburgh who were members of the team in the 1970s and 1980s, then this will make your eyes open wide. Of the players that died, many are household names. We all remember “Iron Mike” Webster. His story may be one of the saddest of all. 

When the greatest center in the history of the NFL retired, he encountered issues with addition to prescription drugs, depression, and other mental anguish. Joe Gilliam has a similar story of drug abuse, homelessness, and finally seemingly kicking the drug habit only to die young at the age of 49. Some of the stories are downright bizarre like the case of Steve Courson. 

Only 50 years old, in 2005 Courson was cutting down a 44 foot tree at his home and while the tree was falling, it appeared it would fall on his dog so in an effort to save his beloved pet, he attempted to cover the dog but was crushed to death in his effort. His dog was found tangled up in Courson’s legs. That same year, former Pittsburgh linebacker David Little was bench pressing in his home located in Miami when he had a heart attack causing the barbell to fall on his chest which then rolled over his neck suffocating him. Little was only 46.

2005 was obviously a terrible year for former players when in June Terry Long, who wore the Black and Gold and was in the league for eight years, was forced out of the NFL for steroid use then that year committed suicide by drinking antifreeze. He had also been involved in come legal problems and this was his third attempt at taking his own life. 

Perhaps the craziest story is that of Justin Strzelczyk. This former offensive lineman was one of the best of his era at his position in the league. Following his retirement he had multiple clashes with the police and in his final encounter with authorities, he ended up in a high speed chase that covered 40 miles pushing his truck to speeds over 100 miles per hour until he ended up on the opposite side of the road crashing into a tanker truck which resulted in his truck catching fire killing the 36 year old former player.

One year later, Theo Bell, an outstanding wide receiver, passed away at the age of 52 due to kidney disease and scleroderma. Aside from the players already listed, there are more:



• Jim Clack, offensive lineman. Clack’s career in Pittsburgh ran from 1970-1977. Clack passed away from heart failure in 2006 after a four year fight with cancer. 
• Ray Oldham, cornerback. Oldham only played one season (1978) with the Steelers but was in the league from 1973 through 1982 with Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York Giants, and the Detroit Lions. He passed away in 2005 as well after suffering a heart attack.
• Dave Brown, cornerback. Brown was Pittsburgh’s first round draft pick in 1974 after they had won their first Super Bowl. He would play just one season with the Steelers as they won their second consecutive NFL title. In 2006 he lost his life also from a heart attack while playing basketball and he was only 53.
• Mike Webster, center. Webster’s official diagnosis points to CTE which has become common among retired players. It is a brain disorder developed by concussions and blows to the head. This in part was listed as the cause of Webster’s passing as well as his addition to prescription medications. Iron Mike’s passing came on September 24, 2002, and he was only 50 years old. Originally from Tomahawk, Wisconsin, he died in our great city of Pittsburgh.
• Steve Furness, defensive tackle. With an eight year career in Pittsburgh, Furness was a part of all four Super Bowl champion teams in the 1970s. Once again, a heart attack took another former Steeler as Furness died from that on February 9, 2000, and he was just 49 years old.
• Joe Gilliam, quarterback. “Jefferson Street Joe” as he was known had a rifle for an arm and had actually beat out hall of famer Terry Bradshaw for the starting job one season. But cocaine was Gilliam’s devil, and he had a terrible addiction. After being drafted by the Steelers in 1972 he tried to beat his drug problems and hung around not just the NFL but other semi-pro leagues as well. His addiction had become so terrible he ended up homeless and living under a bridge in New Orleans. He had been arrested, accosted and beaten by thugs on the street but by the 2000s had become sober. However, he could not stay away from the drug, and it killed him on December 25, 2000, just days away from turning 50. I think the most tragic part of Joe Gilliam’s story is that neither the Steelers nor the National Football League tried to help him in his time of strife to the best of my knowledge. A sad sad story.
• Tyrone McGriff, offensive guard. McGriff was a late round draft pick by the Steelers in 1980. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, McGriff played in three seasons with Pittsburgh and then in the former USFL. In December 2000 McGriff lost his life once again due to a heart attack at the age of 42. 
• Ray Mansfield, center. The Pittsburgh Steelers have always had a procession of great centers, and it began with this man known as “Ranger.” After joining the Steelers in 1964, Mansfield would stay with the team until his retirement in 1976. He was succeeded by Mike Webster. After Webster’s retirement men like Dermontti Dawson and Maurkice Pouncey came along. In 1996 at the age of 55, Mansfield was hiking with his son in the Grand Canyon being the avid outdoorsman he was thus the nickname Ranger when he suffered a heart attach and passed away. 
• David Woodley, quarterback. For two seasons Woodley would start 13 games for the Steelers in 1984 and 1985 posting a won/loss record of 7-6. He was a backup to Mark Malone but the two competed for the starting role until Malone was named starter in 1986 and Woodley hung up the spikes. He passed away in 2003 from complications of kidney and liver failure after spending years with a drinking issue. 
• Fred Small, linebacker. Small had just one season in the NFL and it was with Pittsburgh. That was in 1985 when he was a ninth round draft choice by the Steelers. He did appear in all 16 games that season. After leaving the Steelers Small became a police officer in California in 1998 but in 2003 he was in a car accident that took his life at the age of 39.
• Dan Turk, center. Not one of the great Steelers centers, still Turk was on the team from 1985-1986. He also played in Tampa, Los Angeles with the Chargers, and in Washington. Testicular cancer took his life in 2000 at the young age of 38.

Every death listed here can be considered a tragedy with much sadness for the untimely losses of some very good men. They were all good football players some can be considered great but for any athlete to even make it to the NFL that is an accomplishment. Whether it was a stroke of bad luck that all these men played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and died young or if it is more than that in some other curse or jinxed way, it remains tragic that these players did not get to live a full life.