My dad had things set up. After the genocide in Rwanda and atrocities in Srebrenica, Bosnia, in the 1990s, the world vowed never again. Then came the conflict in Darfur, Sudan, which began 20 years ago. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. It was Omalus job to measure the damage. This undersized six-foot-two athlete, who through force of will turned himself into Iron Mike, led a life of extraordinary career highsfollowed by a slowly devastating decline. The strengths of Mikes character live on in his son, Garrett. The weekend of the funeral, Harris went to see Garrett Webster play football and was impressed by the teenagers potential. Michael Lewis Webster (March 18, 1952 - September 24, 2002) was an American professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 to 1990 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? I remember the NFLPA bragging about how they had something like $10 billion in their retirement fund. Webster had several million dollars in assets when he retired, so it shocked Pamela when their Victorian house was foreclosed 18 months after he left football. The date on the tiles beside his body appears to read August. Right now we have a very good relationship with the Steelers, Webster said.Its the best relationship weve had since my dad played for them. According to a recently published book, "League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions, and the Battle for Truth," the autopsy on Mike Webster, who died at age 50 after a heart attack, revealed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. Pittsburgh Steeler center Mike Webster was the first NFL player Omalu autopsied. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Webster was examined by Allegheny Medical coroner's office pathologist Bennet Omalu, the Nigerian-born discoverer of what is fairly considered one of the most important issues in sports today; CTE. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Why the Steelers shouldnt give up on Kevin Dotson. He preferred it if people didnt recognize him., The last year of Websters life brought new woes: His divorce became final, his health worsened and his finances collapsed again. Thats what for whatever reason they dont do because lets be real, they could settle with every single one of the people in this lawsuit for the maximum amount and make the money back.. Dr. Omalu was very responsible and he did things right away. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Webster played center for 15 seasons (1974-88) for the Steelers and two seasons (1989-90) for the Kansas City Chiefs. Try again later. I just thought he was angry at me all the time.. Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation. Healthy brain cells will eventually devour those proteins, but in cases like Webster's, the proteins eventually overwhelm the amount of healthy brain cells available to clear the brain. draft until the fifth round, when he was selected by the Steelers. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. I wish the NFL would do that stuff with us and with other families. They cant go out in public like normal people and stuff like that.. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. A man who, despite his anger at his own fate, was nonetheless trying at the end of his life to teach his beloved sport to a football-crazy son. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Nicknamed "Iron Mike", Webster anchored the Steelers' offensive line during much of their run of four Super Bowl victories from 1974 to 1979 and is considered by some as the best center in NFL history. Websters finances remain a muddle, but from conversations with his family and lawyers, it appears he poured most of his savings into investments that went bad. You're going to fail -- I did -- but that's O.K. As Omalu recalls in the following clip from League of Denial: Inside the NFLs Concussion Crisis, suddenly the criticism was no longer about his research. But when he died, I felt this calm come over me. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. And he had such a soft spot for children. The couple married shortly after the Steelers drafted him in the fifth round in 1974, and eventually had four children: Brooke, now 26, sons Colin and Garrett24 and 19and Hillary, 15. Half-Time in the CBA A conversation with Ben Leber, Report Released By Cyrus Mehri Details Anti-Labor Stance Within NFLPA, Cyrus Mehris Candidacy Reveals New NFLPA Constitution and Fresh Vision for Players Union, How the NFLPA may have fumbled player safety. [4] [5], Mike Webster was regarded as the best center in the Big Ten during most of his career at the University of WisconsinMadison. PITTSBURGH -- Mike Webster's durability and toughness made him a four-time Super Bowl champion and one of the NFL's best linemen ever . Web Site Copyright 1995-2023 WGBH Educational Foundation. He had been receiving money from annuities and the disability paymentmuch of it went to alimony and child supportbut the IRS then garnished almost all of his income for unpaid taxes. Mike Webster was a Hall of Fame center who spent 15 of his 17-year NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In any given season, 10% of all college players and 20% of all high school players sustain brain injuries. Michael Allen Webster. March 10, 1957 - February 24, 2023. According to CDC estimates,1.6-3.8 million sports and recreation related concussions occur in the United States each year. Webster's estate brought a lawsuit in Maryland's U.S. District Court against the National Football League. Teammate Terry Bradshaw regularly covered expenses for Webster and his family, while Steelers owner Dan Rooney paid for a hotel room for Webster for over three months. Omalu's findings were largely ignored by the NFL until Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was diagnosed with CTE shortly after his death in 2009. Mike Webster autopsy 'one of the most significant moments in the history ofsports', Kiper Mock Draft: 3 1st Round trades has a familiar name falling to the Steelers. I had to be the dad sometimes., On a Friday night this past September, Webster went to his sons football game. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. When it was firm enough, Omalu pulled it out and put took a scalpel to the frontal lobe, cutting. Football injuries associated with the brain occur at the rate of one in every 5.5 games.