It’s not a new story: a former football player displays aberrant behavior, then dies. This time it’s Justin Strzelczyk’s story.
Justin Strzelczyk was a fan favorite for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He died young, the result of an auto accident that occurred as he was fleeing police after a hit-and-run crash. After his death, an autopsy revealed that Strzelczyk suffered from CTE, the degenerative brain disease.
Strzelczyk was born West Seneca, New York in 1968. His father, Connie Strzelczyk (aka ‘Big Bird’) was a college basketball standout. So it was no surprise that his son showed interest in basketball before discovering his football talent at the University of Maine.
In 1990, the Steelers picked Strzelczyk in the 11th round pick of the NFL draft. He played eight seasons, starting 75 games. A knee injury ended his football career.
After football, he went into business and took up hobbies. He played guitar and banjo, acted, invested, wrote a book, and had two kids.
It all ended in 2004 in a fiery car crash. He was only 36.
Strzelczyk came out of nowhere to become an NFL star. How ironic it is that the very activity that made him famous also contributed to his death.
