Posted on 10/08/2012 8:48:33 PM PDT by iowamark
Former Detroit Lions great Alex Karras is in failing health and currently in hospice care.
Karras, who played with the Lions from 1958-62 and then again from 1964-70 after sitting out a season for his role in a gambling scandal, is suffering from kidney failure and according to a report published Monday night in the Detroit Free Press, has been given a short amount of time to live.
Lions team president Tom Lewand issued the following statement Monday night:
"The entire Detroit Lions family is deeply saddened to learn of the news regarding the condition of one of our all-time greats, Alex Karras," Lions President Tom Lewand said Monday night. "Perhaps no player in Lions history attained as much success and notoriety for what he did after his playing days as did Alex.
"We know Alex first and foremost as one of the cornerstones to our Fearsome Foursome defensive line of the 1960s and also as one of the greatest defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL," Lewand said. "Many others across the country came to know Alex as an accomplished actor and as an announcer during the early years of Monday Night Football.
"We join his legions of fans from both sports and entertainment in prayer and support for Alex, his wife Susan, and his entire family during this most difficult time."
Karras was a force on the Lions defensive line who later starred on the big screen and television. He gained notoriety for his roles in the movie "Blazing Saddles" and the television series "Webster."
Before joining the Lions, Karras starred at the University of Iowa, where he led the Hawkeyes to a Rose Bowl win over Oregon State following the 1956 season.
He was an All-American in 1956 and 1957, winner of the 1957 Outland Trophy as most outstanding lineman in the country and runner-up in the voting for 1957 Heisman Trophy.
Karras was selected by the Lions with the first round draft choice in 1958. Over the course of a career during which he played 161 games, he was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and was named a member of the NFL's All-Decade team for the 1960s.
He told the story about being in a game , pre-season I think, and it was really hot. The Lions were way behind and he just wanted the game to be over. So, he decided to get into a fight and get tossed out of the game. I forget who was playing across from him, but he said something about the guy’s mother. The fight was on and they both were ejected from the game. After the game Karras was in an elevator going to the hotel bar for a cold one. The elevator stopped at a floor and there was the offensive lineman he’d insulted. Karras wasn’t really that big for a lineman and the other guy was huge. He said the guy got in the elevator and as it started down the guy pushed the stop button and proceeded to teach Karras about insulting people’s mother. I always thought Karras looked like he was having fun and never took himself too seriously.
Karras wrote a great football book in the early ‘70s with his teammate John Gordy and writer George Plimpton called “Mad Ducks and Bears”. Highly recommend it to any football fan.
Yes, and both were in The movie Porky’s.
yes, you are right about that... that is his real wife... how sad for her too... they seem really close...
OH How sad
Few months I did hear he join lawsuit against NFL about head injuries and they knew it increased of alzemerir and demeteria
I love him as Mongo
OH How sad
Few months I did hear he join lawsuit against NFL about head injuries and they knew it increased of alzemerir and demeteria
I love him as Mongo
I’m very sorry to hear this.
Hawkeye nation mourns a great one.
"Hello, ball!"
I’m pretty old, I saw the golf lesson in black and white in what? 1956? 1957?
Thanks...I feel a little younger now!
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