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[h1]Ex-Raiders safety Tatum dies[/h1]
ESPN.com news services
Former Oakland Raiders and Ohio State defensive back Jack Tatum has died of a heart attack.
Tatum, a three-time Pro Bowler, was 61.
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AP Photo/Ben MargotJack Tatum spent nine years in the NFL, delivering such vicious hits he earned the nickname "The Assassin."
"Wehave lost one of our greatest Buckeyes," Ohio State head coach JimTressel said in a statement. "When you think of Ohio State defense, thefirst name that comes to mind is Jack Tatum. His loss touches every eraof Ohio State players and fans."
Known as "The Assassin" duringhis career, Tatum was renowned as one of the most feared hitters in thegame. The footage of Tatum knocking the helmet off of Minnesota Vikingswide receiver Sammy White in Super Bowl XI is one of the marquee imagesin the history of the game.
But Tatum's most infamous hit came during a preseason game.
InOakland on Aug. 12, 1978, New England Patriots wide receiver DarrylStingley ran head-on into Tatum on a crossing pattern. The blow severedStingley's fourth and fifth veterbrae and left the receiver paralyzed.Eventually, Stingley regained limited movement in his right arm and wasable to operate his electric wheelchair on his own, but Stingley diedfrom the after-effects of Tatum's hit on April 26, 2007 at the age of55.
Chuck Fairbanks, the Patriots' coach at the time, said hecouldn't find anything illegal or dirty about the hit. Nor did theofficials; no flag was thrown on Tatum.
"I saw replays many, manytimes, and many times Jack Tatum was criticized," Fairbanks said. "Butthere wasn't anything at the time that was illegal about that play. Ido think probably that play was a forerunner for some of the changes inrules that exist today that are more protective of receivers,especially if there is head-to-head-type contact. I think that probablypre-empted some of the things that happened today."
Tatum andStingley never reconciled. In 1996, they were supposed to meet for a TVappearance, but Stingley called it off after being told it was topublicize a book written by Tatum.
Tatum said he tried to visitStingley at an Oakland hospital shortly after the collision but wasturned away by Stingley's family members.
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Ron Riesterer/The Sporting News/ZUMA PressDarrylStingley (above) never recovered from a collision with Jack Tatum inOct. 1978, remaining in a wheelchair for the remainder of his life.
Oaklanddrafted Tatum 19th overall in 1971 out of Ohio State, where he was atwo-time All-American and won a National Championship in 1968. Heplayed nine years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl as a member of theRaiders in 1976.
Tatum suffered multiple health problems relatingto diabetes after his retirement in 1980. He had all five of his toeson his left amputated in 2003 due to a staph infection and later losthis right leg after an arterial blockage forced another amputation.
"Heendured a lot of problems, and it's unfortunate he passed away soyoung," former Buckeye teammate John Hicks told The (Cleveland) PlainDealer. "He was a tremendous athlete and a great person."
Tatumwas a three-year starter for the Buckeyes and named to the All-Big Tenteam three times. He was named the National Defensive Player of theYear in 1970. Ohio State give a "Jack Tatum Hit of the Week Award" to adefense player every week.
He is a member of both the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.
