Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer Fred Dean died late Wednesday night time. He was 68.
“The whole Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame household mourns the passing of Fred Dean,” Corridor of Fame president and CEO David Baker mentioned in a press release. “He exemplified most of the values discovered from this nice recreation — dedication, integrity, braveness — over the course of his life. Our ideas and prayers are with Fred’s spouse, Pam, and their whole household. We are going to eternally preserve his legacy alive to function inspiration for future generations.”
After a standout collegiate profession at linebacker for Louisiana Tech, Dean entered the NFL as a second-round choose of the then-San Diego Chargers in 1975. He was moved to defensive finish immediately and shortly turned one of many league’s greatest edge rushers, touchdown his first Professional Bowl berth in 1979 and an All-Professional and Professional Bowl spot in 1980.
Dean performed for the Chargers till 1981, when he joined the San Francisco 49ers through commerce for a second-round draft choose. Recognized for his mixture of quickness and energy, Dean made an immediate impression for the Niners, racking up 12 sacks (unofficially, as sacks did not develop into an official stat till 1982) in 11 video games and incomes an All-Professional nod because the Niners received Tremendous Bowl XVI.
Two years later, Dean had his greatest NFL season, ending with 17.5 sacks, most within the NFC. That included a then-NFL file six in a recreation in opposition to the New Orleans Saints as he earned his fourth and remaining Professional Bowl honor.
In 1985, Dean and the Niners earned one other championship, beating the Miami Dolphins in Tremendous Bowl XIX.
Dean retired after the 1985 season, having performed 141 video games over 11 seasons. He was enshrined into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame on Aug. 2, 2008. Former Niners proprietor Eddie DeBartolo Jr. offered Dean for induction and sometimes referred to him as one of many lacking items that put the 49ers excessive.
“Whereas it can’t be mentioned that Fred Dean’s greatness as an NFL participant started when he got here to the 49ers in 1981, I can say because the proprietor of the staff that the greatness of the 49ers started with Fred Dean’s arrival in San Francisco,” DeBartolo mentioned then.
Dean was born on Feb. 24, 1952, in Arcadia, Louisiana, and attended Ruston Excessive earlier than he arrived at Louisiana Tech. He was a four-time All-Southland Convention choice for the Bulldogs, who received the 1973 Division II nationwide championship and 4 consecutive Southland Convention titles with Dean racking up 392 profession tackles. He was inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Basis Corridor of Fame in 2009 and the Louisiana Tech athletic corridor of fame in 1990.
