Ex-Jet Dennis Byrd dies in crash
DL, whose career ended when he broke his neck in 1992, killed on Okla. road
TULSA, OKLA. — Dennis Byrd was an inspiration for something far greater than anything he accomplished on a football field: He was able to walk. And with each step he took toward recovery from paralysis, guided by a strong faith, Byrd defied doctors’ grim predictions and became a symbol of perseverance and hope.
On Saturday, the former NFL defensive lineman whose career was ended by a neck injury, was killed in a car accident. He was 50. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Byrd died in a two-vehicle collision on state Route 88 north of Claremore.
A 17-year-old driving a 2000 Ford Explorer northbound on Oklahoma 88 veered into the oncoming lane, striking the 2004 Hummer H2 that Byrd was driving, officials said.
Byrd, who had returned to his home in Talala, Okla., in recent years, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver and a 12-year-old passenger in Byrd’s vehicle were taken to hospital in critical condition.
The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Byrd was a second-round draft pick of the Jets in 1989 and quickly became a fan favorite both for his intensity on the field and soft-spoken demeanor off it.
He was considered one of the NFL’s promising young defensive ends during his first three seasons, accumulating 27 sacks — a mark that only two players in franchise history have surpassed: Mark Gastineau with 331⁄2 from 1979 to 1981 and John Abraham with 271⁄2 from 2000 to 2002.
But his life was irrevocably altered on Nov. 29, 1992, during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
He broke his neck after slamming headfirst into the chest of teammate Scott Mersereau as Chiefs quarterback David Krieg stepped forward to avoid a sack. The injury left Byrd briefly paralyzed, and doctors were uncertain whether he would walk again.
After a vigorous rehabilitation over the next several months, Byrd returned to the Meadowlands for the Jets’ opening game the following season and walked — carefully but unaided — to midfield as an honorary captain.
He never fully recovered from the injury, walking with difficulty and going through continuous rehabilitation during the years since. In his 1993 book, “Rise and Walk: The Trial and Triumph of Dennis Byrd,” Byrd detailed how he relied on his Christian faith and his family to recover from his injury and to serve as an inspiration to others who endured through similar ordeals.
Byrd’s story was made into a made-forTV movie, with actor-director Peter Berg playing him.
Byrd starred at Mustang High outside Oklahoma City and then at Tulsa before playing for the Jets.
No Jets player has worn No. 90 since Byrd, and on Oct. 28, 2012, the team honored him at halftime of its game against the Miami Dolphins by making him the fifth player in franchise history to have his number retired.
The Tulsa World first reported his death.