Obit of the Day

Obit of the Day: Safety, Or Lack Thereof

Ray Easterling was a great find for the Atlanta Falcons. A 9th-round pick out of the University of Richmond, Easterling would play eight seasons for Atlanta at safety. During his time with the Falcons, the team would make the playoffs once, in 1978, but the season prior Easterling and the “Grits Blitz” held the opposition to only 129 points over 14 games - a record. (The NFL moved to a 16-game schedule in 1978.)

After his retirement from football in 1979, things did not go well for Easterling. He suffered from depression, insomnia and dementia. In August 2011 Easterling and six other former players sued the NFL for “training players to hit with their heads, failing to properly treat them for concussions and trying to conceal for decades any links between football and brain injuries.” (The full article on the lawsuit can be found here.)

Ray Easterling died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 62.

Previously OOTD has documented other former NFL players who suffered from apparent neurological effects from their time on the gridiron:

Dave Duerson - former Chicago Bear who also committed suicide

Forrest Blue - who at the age of 65 suffered from dementia and Parkinson’s disease

And last July the Guardian did an excellent piece on the effects of brain injuries on athletes. (graphic content)

(Image of Ray Easterling, circa 1966-1971, as a member of the University of Richmond Spiders football team. Copyright of the University of Richmond Athletic Department)