Reggie White: American Football
Reginald Howard “Reggie” White (December 19, 161 – December 26, 2004) was a professional football Defensive End for the Green Bay Packers. He played college football for the University of Tennessee and was recognized as an All-American. White was selected fourth overall in the 1985 NFL Supplemental Draft then played for the Philadelphia Eagles (1985-1992), Green Bay Packers (1993-1998) and Carolina Panthers (2000).
Greatest Sporting Achievements
Reggie White still holds for the most sacks in a career and holds the single game and single season for most sacks. During his eight seasons with the eagles, he recorded 124 sacks than games played (121). Then White became the Packers’ all-time sack leader with 68.5.
He was the Minister of Defense – a 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a 13-time Pro Bowler and 10-time first team All Pro. White was selected to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team.
White won his first and only Super Bowl in 1996. He was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 4, 2006.
Why Was He So Good?
Reggie White was seen as a team leader and the master of defense. People see him as someone who was very dedicated to the sport. He told Sports Illustrated, "In high school and college you're taught to hit the ground on a double team. Here you're expected to take it on. I get double-teamed on every play, so I expect it. Sacks are great, and they get you elected to the Pro Bowl. But I've always felt that a great defensive lineman has to play the run and the pass equally well .… The so-called men of the game pride themselves on being complete players."
What You May Not Know
- Reggie White played football, basketball and track during high school.
- Before playing for NFL, he played two (1984-1985) professional seasons for the Memphis Showboats of the US Football League.
- He was also an ordained Evangelical minister where their church was burned down by an arsonist. It was then broadcasted on “Unsolved Mysteries” in 1987. The arsonist is still not caught until this day.
- White died in his home in North Carolina when he suffered a fatal cardiac arrhythmia which was attributed to pulmonary sarcoidosis and the sleep apnea that plagued him. He was 43 when he passed away.
Related Pages
- More American Football players
- Athlete Database home
- About the sport of American Football
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