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Brad White (defensive lineman)

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Brad White
No. 90, 92, 62
Position:Defensive lineman
Personal information
Born:(1958-08-18)August 18, 1958
Rexburg, Idaho, U.S.
Died:July 16, 2022(2022-07-16) (aged 63)
Florence, Alabama, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school:Skyline (ID)
College:Tennessee
NFL draft:1981 / round: 12 / pick: 310
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Sacks:3.0
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Bradley Dee White (August 18, 1958 – July 16, 2022) was an American football defensive lineman who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, and Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at Tennessee.

Early life and education

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White was born on August 18, 1958, in Rexburg, Idaho.[1] He was the oldest of four children.[2] Growing up, White worked on the family potato farm in Idaho Falls.[2][3] He started playing football while in fourth grade and was coached by his father for several years.[2] He attended Skyline High School in Idaho Falls, where he was a top football player and state champion wrestler.[2][4] White earned all-state honors in both sports and also was the state champion in discus throw and shotput.[2] Sports Illustrated later named him one of the "Top 50 Greatest Sports Figures from Idaho".[2] He is an inductee into the Idaho High School Football Hall of Fame.[2]

White committed to the University of Tennessee, arriving on August 16, 1976, after driving 2,800 miles.[5] Football practice started on August 18, which was his 18th birthday.[5] Things "almost immediately headed downhill," and he became "an athlete in waiting," seeing no varsity action in his first two years.[5] White, suffering from depression and homesickness, nearly quit the team and headed home.[5]

In 1976, White appeared in two games on the junior varsity football team, against Kentucky and Lees–McRae.[5] He redshirted for the 1977 season.[5] In 1978, he made the varsity team and became one of their top defensive performers, posting 45 tackles in the first four games.[5] He made his varsity debut on September 16 against the UCLA Bruins, starting before an attendance of over 82,500.[5] "In 1976 and 1977, I played before about 2,500 people. The largest single audience for a JV game was, I guess, 1,500. You can imagine how it felt when I started against UCLA, my first varsity appearance, before more than 82,500," he said.[5]

In the 1979 season, White led Tennessee in "big plays" (sacks, TFLs, fumble recoveries, forced fumbles) and made a team-leading seven sacks.[6] In the 1980 season, White's senior year, he tied for first on the team in "big plays", having recorded five sacks, five tackles-for-loss and two forced fumbles.[3]

After his senior year, White was selected to play in the 1981 Japan Bowl and the East–West Shrine Bowl.[2] White finished his college career with 19 sacks, 245 tackles, 24 tackles-for-loss, four forced fumbles and two fumbles recovered in three seasons at the varsity level.[2]

Professional career

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White was selected in the 12th round (310th overall) of the 1981 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[7][8] Despite being a 12th round pick, he impressed in training camp and made the final roster as backup nose tackle, becoming one of only six rookies to make the team.[3][9][10] At first, they had him play exclusively on the special teams.[9] Against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 25, White blocked a 54-yard field goal, which was the first time this was accomplished in team history.[11] "On field goal attempts, I'm what they call the 'jumper,' the guy who's supposed to block the kick," White said.[10] The Buccaneers eventually made the playoffs, but lost 0–38 to the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round.[12][13] White played every regular season game in the season and also appeared in their one playoff game, recording 22 tackles on the year.[1][14]

In a strike-shortened 1982 season, White played in all nine regular season games and made three tackles.[14][15] He helped the Buccaneers compile a 5–4 record and make it to the playoffs, where they lost to the Dallas Cowboys for the second consecutive year.[15] In the following season, White appeared in all 16 games, but did not start any, as Tampa Bay finished 2–14.[14][16] He recorded a total of 20 tackles on the season.[14]

Despite impressing in the 1984 preseason, and coach John McKay declaring White to be the team's best backup nose tackle and defensive end,[17] White was released at the final roster cuts in August.[18] His release was described as "the biggest surprise of all" by The Tampa Tribune.[18] McKay said that the play of new signings Brison Manor and Byron Braggs contributed to his release.[18] "It came as a complete surprise," White said.[19]

On August 31, White was signed by the Indianapolis Colts.[20] He played as second-string nose tackle for most of the season, behind Leo Wisniewski.[19] White mostly appeared on special teams, but became a starter for the final two games of the year after Wisniewski was injured.[19] They were the first two starts of his career.[1] White finished the season with 15 games played, two as a starter, and 39 tackles, including 13 solo stops.[19] He also made two sacks for a loss of 16 yards and pressured the quarterback into throwing the ball away nine times, which was fourth-highest on the team.[19]

After Wisniewski announced his plans to sit out the 1985 season, White was named the Colts' starting nose tackle.[19] White had his best year as a professional in 1985, starting 15 out of 16 games and making 97 tackles, leading the team's defensive line as the Colts finished 5–11.[21][22] He also made one sack.[1] White was released in August 1986 after losing a training camp battle to Willie Broughton.[21]

In 1987, White was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as a replacement player during the NFLPA strike.[23] He appeared in one game, starting in a 7–27 loss to the Chicago Bears before being released.[24] It was the final game of his NFL career.[25]

White played six NFL seasons and finished his career with 73 games played, 18 as a starter, and three sacks.[25] He also unofficially made at least 181 tackles.[14][19][21]

Later life and death

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White later worked for Anderson Press and TNT Fireworks.[2] He resided the last 31 years of his life in Florence, Alabama.[2] With his wife, Cathy, White had two children.[2]

White died on July 16, 2022, at the age of 63.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Brad White Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m dany (July 18, 2022). "Bradley Dee White: August 18 1958 – July 16 2022 (age 63), death notice, USA". United States Obituary Notice. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Selman, Jim (August 5, 1981). "White Won't Drop Bucs' Hot Potato". The Tampa Tribune. p. 31, 36 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "Brad White Stats and Bio". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Riggs, Ted (October 17, 1978). "Brad White's a Full-Fledged Vol After 2 Years". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Bailes, Frank (November 27, 1980). "What's Cooking? Vol Brad White Knows". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. 52 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ "1981 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  8. ^ Selman, Jim (April 30, 1981). "Offensive Tackle, Quarterback Top Bucs' Late Picks". The Tampa Tribune. pp. 19, 6C – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  9. ^ a b Ahillen, Steve (September 20, 1981). "Brad White Doing All Right in Tampa". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. 63 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. ^ a b Wood, Tom (December 10, 1981). "Ex-Vol Lineman Brad White Paying Dues At Tampa Bay With Super Bowl Thoughts". The Tennessean. p. 95 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  11. ^ Selman, Jim (October 26, 1981). "Bucs Play Giveaway". The Tampa Tribune. p. 45, 50 – via Newspapers.com. And the Bucs even foiled a 54-yard field goal by Franklin in the third quarter when it was 7-7. Leaper Brad White got a hand on the ball. The Bucs have had only one outright blocked kick in their history. Open access icon
  12. ^ "1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "Divisional Round - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys - January 2nd, 1982". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  14. ^ a b c d e "Brad White". bucpower.com.
  15. ^ a b "1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  16. ^ "1983 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  17. ^ Selman, Jim (August 7, 1984). "Clouds of concern shift over Bucs". The Tampa Tribune. p. 113 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  18. ^ a b c Selman, Jim (August 28, 1984). "Capece waived by Bucs". The Tampa Tribune. p. 100 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  19. ^ a b c d e f g Gates, Nick (August 18, 1985). "New life". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  20. ^ "Colts sign Brad White". The Des Moines Register. September 1, 1984. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ^ a b c Rietmann, Tom (August 11, 1986). "Colts cut four as team prepares for Bears". The Indianapolis Colts. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  22. ^ "1985 Indianapolis Colts Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  23. ^ Sansevere, Robert (October 9, 1987). "Mularkey rejoins striking Vikings after misunderstanding". Star Tribune. p. 79 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  24. ^ "Brad White 1987 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  25. ^ a b Calhoun, Caleb (June 23, 2020). "Tennessee football's 10 DTs with best NFL careers". All for Tennessee. FanSided. Retrieved January 26, 2023.

Further reading

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