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Andre Waters
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Andre Waters | |
|---|---|
| Image:Andrewaters.jpg | |
| Date of birth | March 10, 1962 |
| Place of birth |  Belle Glade, Florida |
| Date of death | November 20, 2006 (age 44) |
| Place of death | Tampa Bay, Florida |
| Position(s) | Defensive back |
| College | Cheyney |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 1984-1993 1994-1995 |
Philadelphia Eagles Arizona Cardinals |
Andre Waters (March 10, 1962 – November 20, 2006) was an American defensive back in the National Football League who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals from 1984 to 1995. Waters was regarded as one of the NFL's hardest-hitting defenders, serving as an integral part of one of the league's top defenses. On November 20, 2006, Waters committed suicide in his Tampa, Florida home.
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He was born in Belle Glade, Florida, grew up in the extreme poverty of rural Florida and attended Pahokee High School. As a senior at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania he was recognized as a football Small-college All-American.
In 1984, Waters was signed as an undrafted free agent by Eagles head coach Marion Campbell. When Buddy Ryan took over for Campbell in 1986, he welcomed Waters' aggressive style as a fierce tackler and ferocious hitter, earning Waters a position in the starting lineup for the next eight years. He blossomed under Defensive Coordinator Bud Carson. Waters served as part of the Eagles' defensive unit that was regarded as one of the league's best, in 1991 ranking 1st statistically in both run and pass defense, as well as total defense. His hard-hitting style translated into leading the team in tackles for four seasons and endeared him with Philadelphia fans but often led to penalties and fines for some of his tackles. His 1988 shot on Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jim Everett led to a rule prohibiting defensive players from hitting quarterbacks below the waist while they are still in the pocket; for a while, it was unofficially termed the "Andre Waters Rule". NFL broadcaster Dan Dierdorf notoriously nicknamed the Eagles defender "Dirty Waters".
- Team leader in tackles in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1991.
- Recorded 15 interceptions in 156 games.
- Returned a kickoff for an 89-yard game-winning touchdown against the Washington Redskins as a rookie in 1984.
- Scored a touchdown in 1989 when he took a lateral from William Frizzell after Reggie White caused a fumble by New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms.
After retiring as a player, he went on to enjoy success as a college coach at Morgan State, the University of South Florida, Alabama State, and Fort Valley State University. He tried unsuccessfully to get a job in the NFL and described his disappointment to a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter in April 2006.[1] He remained very close to his former Eagles coach Bud Carson who he said he tried to emulate in his own coaching career. When Carson died in December 2005 Waters served as the lead pallbearer.
Waters committed suicide shortly after 1 a.m. on November 20, 2006, according to the Hillsborough County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office, dying of a gunshot to the head. He was at his home in Tampa, Florida,[2] where he was found by his girlfriend.
Since Waters killed himself in November, an explanation for his suicide has remained a mystery. Shortly after Waters' death, former Harvard defensive tackle and WWE wrestler Christopher Nowinski, whose wrestling career was ended by post-concussion syndrome and has since written a book about the dangers of concussions in contact sports, approached Waters' family and asked permission to have his brain tissue examined. After receiving permission, Nowinski had samples of Waters' brain tissue sent to neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu at the University of Pittsburgh. After examining the tissue, Omalu claimed that Waters sustained brain damage from playing football that, he said, led to Waters' depression and ultimate death according to a NY Times article.[3]
Dr. Omalu determined that Waters' brain tissue had degenerated into that of an 85-year-old man with similar characteristics as those of early-stage Alzheimer's victims. Omalu said he believed that the damage was either caused or drastically expedited by the numerous concussions Waters sustained playing football. Additionally, Omalu said that Waters would have been fully incapacitated within ten years.
The NFL declined to comment on Waters' case specifically. A member of the league's mild traumatic brain injury committee, Dr. Andrew Tucker, said that the NFL was beginning a study of retired players later this year to examine the more general issue of football concussions and subsequent depression.
- ^ wsj.com, Eagles Fans Mourn Death of Andre Waters
- ^ Thomasi McDonald. "Former NFL player, St. Aug's coach dies", News & Observer, 2006-11-20. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
- ^ nytimes.com, "Expert Ties Ex-Player’s Suicide to Brain Damage"