Profile of Reggie White on Famous Like Me

The Reverend Reginald Howard "Reggie" White (December 19, 1961 – December 26, 2004), nicknamed the "Minister of Defense" (a dual reference to his football prowess and to his Evangelical Christian ordination) was one of football's most prolific sackers in college, the USFL and the NFL.

Career

Reggie White was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, White played football at the University of Tennessee, setting school records for most sacks in a career, season and game, records he still holds. After college, White signed on with the Memphis Showboats of the USFL, playing with them for two seasons, racking up 23.5 sacks, 192 tackles and seven forced fumbles in 34 starts.

After the USFL folded, Reggie White moved to the NFL and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He played with the Eagles for eight seasons, picking up 124 sacks and becoming the Eagles' all-time sack leader. He also set a then-record regular season record with 21 sacks in 1987. He also became the only player to ever accumulate 20 or more sacks in just 12 games. He also set a regular season record that season; averaging the most sacks per game in the regular season, in NFL history, with an amazing 1.75, which rounds to 1.8.

In 1993, White went to the Green Bay Packers, where he played for six more seasons. While not as prolific as his previous years, White still notched up another 68.5 sacks, becoming the Packers' all-time leader in that category. He also helped the Packers to two Super Bowls, including a victory in Super Bowl XXXI. White was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1998.

Retirement

White suffered from fatigue, lung inflammation, shortness of breath and back pain in 1997, when he was diagnosed with a systemic inflammatory disease called sarcoidosis. He was treated and told that sarcoidosis goes away in some patients.

Following the 1998 season, White announced his retirement, but in 1999 he said he spoke to God and was told to "fulfill his commitment", and thereafter signed with the Carolina Panthers for the 2000 season. However, he had a lackluster performance making just 15 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Following the season, White again retired.

At the time of his retirement, White was the NFL's all-time sacks leader with 198. He has since been surpassed by Bruce Smith who has 200.

White was also caught in the middle of the arson scares at predominantly African American churches during the mid-1990s. The Inner City Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, a church where White was an associate minister, was burned to the ground in 1996. However, an outpouring of financial support, in part because of White's celebrity, helped to rebuild the church.

He was married to the former Sara Copeland and has two children, Jeremy and Jecholia. It was discovered that he was related to college football player Kevin Rollins when he arrived at one of his games. Rollins went on to play for the Miami Dolphins but broke his hand playing in Amsterdam.

On the morning of December 26, 2004, White died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 43. He was rushed from his home in Cornelius, North Carolina to a nearby hospital in Huntersville, North Carolina, where he was pronounced dead. White had suffered a fatal cardiac arrhythmia caused by the sarcoidosis he had lived with for years. The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's Office ruled that White died from cardiac and pulmonary sarcoidosis.

The Philadelphia Eagles intend to retire White's number 92 in a ceremony during the 2005 season.

During a halftime presentation at Lambeau Field on September 18, 2005, White became only the fifth Green Bay Packer to have his number, 92, retired by the storied franchise. The Packers also plan to wear a helmet decal honoring White for all of their remaining games this season.

The University of Tennessee also retired White's number 92 jersey at a halftime presentation on October 1st, 2005 during their game against the University of Mississippi. This retirement is only the third in the modern era of football at the University of Tennessee. As such a momentous occasion, a commemorative sign was unveiled in the south end of Neyland Stadium.

The legendary defensive lineman, elected to 13 Pro Bowls out of 15 NFL seasons, is a front-runner for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. The same class of candidates include three-time Super Bowl champion Quarterback Troy Aikman of the Dallas Cowboys, CFL and NFL passing Quarterback legend Warren Moon, Wide Receiver Andre Reed and Running Back Thurman Thomas of the Buffalo Bills. White has already been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Controversy

White's retirement was not without controversy. He created a stir in March of 1998 with his comments before the Wisconsin state legislature that invoked positive racial stereotypes of Latinos, Asians, whites, blacks, and Native Americans, explaining that all were made in God's image. Consistent with his understanding of Biblical doctrine and his religious beliefs, he made remarks about gays and lesbians, and subsequently became an ally of organizations opposed to homosexuality, appearing in a newspaper advertising campaign to convince gays and lesbians that they could cease their homosexuality. Gay human rights organizations opposed his remarks but defended his right to speak out. In addition, both the Green Bay Packers and the NFL objected to the ads, since White had appeared in his football uniform without the consent of the team or the league. Later versions of the ad removed the uniform.

Quotes

• Mike Quick, former wide receiver:

He was a man that really loved people, people of all colors and creed, it didn't matter what shape or color you came in, Reggie was a man who really loved people."

• Reggie White:

Why did God create us differently? Why did God make me black and you white? Why did God make the next guy Korean and the next guy Asian and the other guy Hispanic? Why did God create the Indians?

Well, it's interesting to me to know why now. When you look at the black race, black people are very gifted in what we call worship and celebration. A lot of us like to dance, and if you go to black churches, you see people jumping up and down, because they really get into it.

White people were blessed with the gift of structure and organization. You guys do a good job of building businesses and things of that nature and you know how to tap into money pretty much better than a lot of people do around the world.

Hispanics are gifted in family structure. You can see a Hispanic person and they can put 20 or 30 people in one home. They were gifted in the family structure.

When you look at the Asians, the Asian is very gifted in creation, creativity and inventions. If you go to Japan or any Asian country, they can turn a television into a watch. They're very creative. And you look at the Indians, they have been very gifted in the spirituality.

When you put all of that together, guess what it makes. It forms a complete image of God.

"We've allowed this sin [homosexuality] to run rampant in our nation, and because it has run rampant in our nation, our nation is in the condition it's in today."

I am going to speak the truth and I am going to speak out against things that's hurting our children, that's killing off our people.

Now, I believe that one of the reasons that Jesus was accused of being a homosexual is because he spent time with homosexuals. I've often had people ask me, would you allow a homosexual to be your friend. Yes, I will.

Homosexuality is a decision, it's not a race. People from all different ethnic backgrounds live in this lifestyle. But people from all different ethnic backgrounds also are liars and cheaters and malicious back-stabbers.

Pro Wrestling

• Reggie wrestled Steve McMichael on May 18, 1997 at Slamboree for World Championship Wrestling. Reggie lost the match when he turned his back on McMichael to help Debra McMichael, who faked twisting her ankle to give her husband the advantage.

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