Reggie White

White during his tenure with the Green Bay Packers.
No. 92
Defensive end
Personal information
Date of birth: (1961-12-19)December 19, 1961
Place of birth: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Date of death: December 26, 2004(2004-12-26) (aged 43)
Place of death: Cornelius, North Carolina
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Weight: 300 lb (136 kg)
Career information
College: Tennessee
Supplemental Draft: 1985 / Round: 1
Debuted in 1984 for the Memphis Showboats
Last played in 2000 for the Carolina Panthers
Career history
Memphis Showboats (1984–1985) Philadelphia Eagles (1985–1992) Green Bay Packers (1993–1998) Carolina Panthers (2000)
Career highlights and awards
Rated #7 NFL Player of all-time by NFL.com 13× Pro Bowl selection (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998) 10× First-Team All-Pro selection (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998) 3× Second-Team All-Pro selection (1994, 1996, 1997) 1× All-USFL (1985) Super Bowl champion (XXXI) 2× NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1987, 1998) 3× UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1987, 1991, 1995) 1986 Pro Bowl MVP 1985 USFL Man of the Year NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team NFL 1990s All-Decade Team NFL 1980s All-Decade Team USFL All-Time Team Tennessee Volunteers #92 retired Philadelphia Eagles #92 retired Green Bay Packers #92 retired Philadelphia Eagles Honor Roll Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Tackles 1,112 Sacks 198 Interceptions 3 Stats at NFL.com
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

Reginald Howard “Reggie” White (December 19, 1961 – December 26, 2004) was an American college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and was recognized as an All-American. After initially playing two professional seasons for the Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League (USFL), he was selected in the first round of the 1985 Supplemental Draft, and then played for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history. The two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 13-time Pro Bowl and 12-time All-Pro selection holds 2nd place all-time amongst career sack leaders with 198.5 (behind Bruce Smith‘s 200 career sacks) and was selected to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. During his professional career, he was also known for his Christian ministry as an ordained Evangelical minister, leading to his nickname, “The Minister of Defense.” White is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

[edit] Early years

White was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He attended Howard School of Academics and Technology^[1] during high school, and from there was recruited to play for the Tennessee Volunteers.

[edit] College career

White played college football at Tennessee from 1980 to 1983, where he set school records for most sacks in a career, season and game. He still holds these records. While playing for the Volunteers, White was named an All-American. He was the SEC Player of the Year in his Senior season of 1983.

He finished his college career with 32 Sacks and 51 TFL.^[2]

[edit] Professional career

[edit] USFL

[edit] Memphis Showboats

After college, White signed with the Memphis Showboats of the USFL. He played for Memphis for two seasons, starting in 36 games. As a member of the Showboats, he racked up 23.5 sacks, 198 tackles, and seven forced fumbles.

[edit] NFL

[edit] Philadelphia Eagles

When the USFL collapsed, White was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles, who held his NFL rights. He played with the Eagles for eight seasons, during which time he picked up 124 sacks, becoming the Eagles’ all-time sack leader. He also set the Eagles regular-season record with 21 sacks in a single season (1987). White also became the only player to ever accumulate twenty or more sacks in just twelve games. He also set an NFL regular-season record during 1987 by averaging the most sacks per game, with 1.75 sacks per game. Over the course of his tenure with the Eagles, White actually accumulated more sacks than the number of games that he played. He was voted by ESPN Sportsnation as the greatest player in Eagles’ franchise history.^[3]

[edit] Green Bay Packers

Reggie White with teammate Brett Favre (behind) presenting President Bill Clinton with a Packers team jacket at a 1997 ceremony following the Packers’ win in Super Bowl XXXI.

In 1993, White became a free agent. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers, where he played for six seasons. White notched up another 68.5 sacks to become, at the time, the Packers’ all-time leader in that category (second now to Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila who has 74.5 registered sacks). White was also just as valued for his role as a team leader. He helped the Packers to two Super Bowls, including a victory in Super Bowl XXXI. That victory was the only championship White ever shared in at any level. In 1998, White was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

[edit] Carolina Panthers

In 2000, he came out of a 1-year retirement and started all 16 games for the Panthers. White had 5.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble while with the team. He again retired at the end of the 2000 season.

[edit] Retirements

After the 1998 season, White retired from professional football. However, in 2000, White was wooed back to the league by the Carolina Panthers. He played for one season as a Panther, then retired again.

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.) Counting his time in the USFL, White has 221.5 sacks in top-level professional football, making him professional football’s all-time sacks leader. White also recorded three interceptions, which he returned for 79 yards. He recovered nineteen fumbles, which he returned for 137 yards and three touchdowns. His nine consecutive seasons (1985–1993) with at least ten sacks remain an NFL record. He was named an All-Pro for thirteen of his fifteen seasons, including eight as a first-team selection.

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