BuffettNews.com

CHICAGO (AP) - Former New England Patriot receiver Darryl Stingley, who was paralyzed after a hard hit during an NFL exhibition game nearly 30 years ago, has died. He was 55.

Stingley was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital early Thursday after he was found unresponsive in his home, according to Tony Brucci an investigator with the Cook County medical examiner's office.
An autopsy was scheduled. The cause of death was not immediately available.

Stingley played football until August 12, 1978, when the 26-year-old receiver went up for a pass during an exhibition game and was hit from behind by Oakland Raiders' safety Jack Tatum. The hit broke Stingley's neck and left him a quadriplegic for life.

Stingley was born and raised in Chicago. He was a star running back at John Marshall High School. He attended Purdue on a football scholarship.

In 1973, he was a first-round draft pick of the Patriots, owned by Robert Kraft.

"On behalf of the Kraft family and the entire Patriots organization, we're deeply saddened by news of Darryl Stingley's death, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Stingley family at this time," said team spokesman Stacey James

Boy, I remember when this happened.

Sail on.............

Too young to see it or remember it but I've heard alot about it. Sail on Darryl!

Sail On......R.I.P

and Phin Power and Prayers to his family

Very sad - I remember when Stingley was paralyzed by Jack Tatum's hit.
Stingley was a very good wide receiver at the time - a real tragedy.
Sail on Darryl and rest in peace.

This is VERY sad.
I remember when it happened too. Tatum was very unapologetic, and seemed to have an "OH WELL" attitude about it all. He was really an a-hole about it.
Maybe that's why I never cared too much for the Raiders-the team pretty much condoned what he did, which very well COULD have been an accident, but his attitude about it (and the fact that the team did nothing) was absolutely unexcuseable.

Sail on, Mr. Stingley.

I remember this as well.
Tatum never seemed to give a damn about it.

Sail on Darryl.
May you now be free.

He was one fine Boilermaker

Sail on Darryl!

Wino you know wrote:This is VERY sad.
I remember when it happened too. Tatum was very unapologetic, and seemed to have an "OH WELL" attitude about it all. He was really an a-hole about it.
Maybe that's why I never cared too much for the Raiders-the team pretty much condoned what he did, which very well COULD have been an accident, but his attitude about it (and the fact that the team did nothing) was absolutely unexcuseable.

Sail on, Mr. Stingley.

Wino - Poltically, you and I agree on very little.

But you hit the nail on the head re: Tatum and the Raiders organization's lack of class. Or should I say Al Davis. Like you said, even if it was an accident , the Raider's cavalier attitude was and is inexcusable. As Jimmy says" And some things never change" !
Glad to see Davis now has one of the worst teams in the NFL.

Oh, no.....

Sail on, Darryl....

Prayers and phin power to his friends and relatives....

lati2d wrote:Wino - Poltically, you and I agree on very little.

This isn't about politics-it's about a PUNK who delivered a cheap shot and virtually ended any chance of a normal life for a promising young athlete, and then didn't even have the decency to show any remorse.
Nor did Al Davis, as you stated, nor did the Raiders team, nor did the punk Raiders fans.
They all came to the defense of PUNK TATUM, saying it's "part of the game."

Sail on.....

Sail on Darryl.

Tatum is still a jerk about it. A couple of years ago he and Stingley were supposed to get together for some sort of an apology. It ended up all Tatum wanted to do was to sell his book. Darryl was none to happy and needless to say it never happened.

Wino you know wrote:

lati2d wrote:Wino - Poltically, you and I agree on very little.

This isn't about politics-it's about a PUNK who delivered a cheap shot and virtually ended any chance of a normal life for a promising young athlete, and then didn't even have the decency to show any remorse.
Nor did Al Davis, as you stated, nor did the Raiders team, nor did the punk Raiders fans.
They all came to the defense of PUNK TATUM, saying it's "part of the game."

As a then-Raiders fan, we were not Punks like the fans are today. The typical season ticket holder at the time was actually made up of middle to upper middle class caucasians. My family had season tickets then so I saw most all the games, either live or on TV. Now those of you who know me no that I have never had any use for punks or bullies. That being said, the Raiders played hard and hit hard. They were also the recipients of twice as many cheap shots as they made. Other teams hyped up to play the Raiders and it often got nasty. But the other side is the Daryl Lamonica bombs, the George Blanda miracle saves, the Kenny Stabler drives, the Fred Biletnekoff down and outs.

I saw the hit and watched the IR several times and came to the conclusion it was a clean hit, not a cheap shot. The news at first was all about Tatum taking a cheap shot blah blah blah, which it wasnt. BUT as time went on that week, the lack of remorse from Davis was very evident. Tatum off the field was a very quiet guy, I dont know if he lacked remorse or was just unable to express his feelings. I do know that in an interview a few years back, he said that the accident still haunts him. At any rate, I thought the whole thing sucked, and it all came down from Davis, who none of us liked. It made me proud that I was the black sheep of the family who was really still a 49ers even tho they sucked at the time.

Anyway after the Raiders became the LA Traitors, I never went back. Their fans today are totally class-less and Al Davis thrives on it.


Sail on Darryl ... you deserved better.