He sought help for both his drug and alcohol issues, and though he often relapsed, he got back on the horse multiple times. One of these offenses killed a pending endorsement deal that would have seen him appear in beer commercials. The Houston Oilers made him the No. Matuszak was born in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. And his next career was already in motion. There were also traces of cocaine found in his bloodstream. One thing most of the actors who worked with Matuszak had to say about him was that he was a genuine pleasure to work with. Like most children and people who don't ever really grow up, John Matuszak never took responsibility for any of the crazy, dangerous, and irresponsible things he did. His movie credits included "North Dallas Forty," "Caveman" and "Ice Pirates." Matuszak's character Sloth wears an Oakland Raiders shirt in some scenes. Once he retired, Matuszak tried to start a new chapter of his life, this time as an actor. Matuszak was the first overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft and played most of his career with the Oakland Raiders until he retired after winning his second Super Bowl in 1981. In the CareUnit at Cedars-Sinai he left halfway through a one-month program and headed straight for a doctor's office, where he tried to obtain a prescription. PITTSBURGH 1982 - OL Rick Donnalley told Cincinnati Post he used steroids. LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Ex-football star John Matuszak's parents reacted swiftly to the coroner's announcement that their son died of an accidental overdose of a mild narcotic painkiller, criticizing doctors who prescribe such medication. "Vodka and Valium," coach George Allen explained, "the breakfast of champions." When John lived in Houston he was playing for the Kansas City Cheifs and I dated him for a few months.He was kind and I cared for him alot.He did do alot of cocaine and that was why I quit dating him.Still I think of him often.I`m sure he is happy in his eternal life. Shaddock in 1979 in North Dallas Forty followed by Tonda in the 1981 film Caveman and the deformed Sloth in the 1985 movie The Goonies. Matuszak died on June 17, 1989, as a result of acute propoxyphene intoxication, an accidental overdose of the prescription drug Darvocet, according to the findings of the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. His lifestyle often overshadowed his productivity as a championship-caliber . Mr. Griffith was a native of Washington and a graduate of George Mason High School in Falls Church. Kent State's coach was Don James, who went on to win the 1991 national championship at Washington. He had numerous guest appearances in TV shows such as Perfect Strangers, M*A*S*H, The Dukes of Hazzard, Hunter, Silver Spoons, The A-Team, 1st & Ten and Miami Vice. But even with the success Matuszak found in this new chapter of his life, some aspects of his troubled past remained. Mrs. Spencer was a native of Putney, Vt., and a graduate of the American International College in Springfield, Mass. American Football (American) Player John Matuszak was born John Daniel Matuszak on 25th October, 1950 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and passed away on 17th Jun 1989 Burbank, California aged 38. But the man who played Sloth led a troubled life. He started to devote a lot of time to working with kids and charities, and spent many hours with his beloved nieces and nephews as well. His primary income source was through his acting and football career. There was also cocaine in his system but the amount was so small it was "not considered to have contributed to his death.". How tall was John Matuszak? 1 seed for Division 1 baseball playoffs, High school tennis: Southern Section playoff pairings. He was booted from the Houston Oilers after he tried to sign a contract to also play for the World Football Leagues Houston Texans at the same time. The Goonies: 25th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray]. When the Grim Reaper came by to touch the Tooz on the shoulder Saturday night, the big guy . EARLE W. GRIFFITH Air Cargo Accountant Earle W. Griffith, 72, an official with Alexandria Masonic groups who was a retired accountant, died June 14 at Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria after a stroke. And it never had anything to do with the fact that he was high.". Matuszak got into an argument with the driver of the other car, then knocked him out cold before fleeing the scene. His best known role was as the deformed Sloth in the 1985 movie "The Goonies". Following his sophomore season at Mizzou, Matuszak transferred to the University of Tampa, where he became the star of their football team. Simpson on HBO's 1st & Ten, until his 'roided-up character died of a heart attack on the practice field. You sit out a game and your replacement could steal your job, so you play with the pain which sometimes leads to even more injuries. Mike Ornstein, the Raiders office worker who'd been assigned "Keeper of the Tooz," remembered his softer side: "He was a very, very good person and he had a great heart for kids. Matuszak fled to a cemetery and effectively used gravestones . Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Kentucky Derby draw finds favorite Forte in a nice spot in the middle, Lakers-Warriors series: Plenty of story lines, but LeBron vs. Steph is No. The Raiders had toassign a 22-year-old front office worker to literally move in with him and keep an eye on him fellow player Pat Toomay called the job "Keeper of the Tooz.". He didn't know what was happening at the time and wanted to avoid confrontation. John Matuszak has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. His debut came in 1979's North Dallas Forty:Matuszak's role as offensive lineman O.W. In 1976, the Kansas City Chiefs traded him with the Washington Redskins but he was released by the Redskins soon after. College: Tampa Spartans football John Matuszak Career. 1 draft choice. He lived in Alexandria. His castmates on Goonies remembered him as a "sweetheart. Matuszak, John Football John Matusak signed back of shirt of Jack Kauffman who held his son Jake, 9 months old. If you were an '80s kid and you didn't know about John "The Tooz" Matuszak who was just as famous for his hard-partying, loud, larger-than-life persona as he was for his football game you definitely knew about his alter-ego, the enormous, gentle, unconventionally-featured Sloth, who was the face of the 1985 classic Goonies. Matuszak was the only one of the first six selections of the 1973 draft never to earn first-team All-Pro honors. So, he bulked up his grades at Fort Dodge, a junior college. Boucher said that a natural heart attack is obvious right away at the time of the autopsy. He had one sister and two brothers. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-box-4','ezslot_3',131,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-box-4','ezslot_4',131,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-box-4-0_1');.box-4-multi-131{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. According to our Database, He has no children. In addition to his contract with the Oilers, he joined the Houston Texans of the World Football League (WFL), playing a total of seven plays before a restraining order was served to him during a game, barring him from playing for two teams at the same time. John Matuszak was just 38 when he died of heart failure a decade ago, and his flamboyance made an explanation mandatory. But along with his Herculean proportions came a similarly epic drug and alcohol problem. The following season, the Raiders weren't able to repeat their success, and by 1982, Tooz's body was telling him it was time to wrap up his career, even if he didn't want to. Alabama guard John Hannah, selected fourth by the New England Patriots, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991, his first year of eligibility, following a 13-year career, while quarterback Bert Jones (Baltimore Colts), offensive tackle Jerry Sisemore and tight end Charle Young (Philadelphia Eagles), and defensive tackle Dave Butz (St. Louis Cardinals) were all prominent throughout the rest of the 1970s and into the 1980s. C. GRANT STETTER FBI Agent, Administrative Law Judge C. Grant Stetter, 74, a former Washington lawyer and FBI agent who served as an administrative law judge with the Social Security Administration in Flint, Mich., from 1973 to 1982, died June 10 at a hospital in Shallotte, N.C., after stroke. During his days with the Raiders, the team mostly turned a blind eye to John Matuszak's antics. But what he didn't give the world in offspring, he gave in winning memories for Raiders fans, and a unlikely movie hero for legions of '80s children who wanted Sloth to be their big buddy. To report about any issues in our articles, please feel free toContact Us. He represented them for the 1973 season and moved to Houston, Texas, in 1974. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',132,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-banner-1-0'); According toCelebrity Net Worth, Matuszak had an estimated net worth equivalent to $400 thousand when he died in 1990. In Matuszak's last college football game, Tampa defeated Kent State 21-18 in the Tangerine Bowl. He was stricken at his home and was taken by paramedics to the hospital, where he died at 9:39 p.m., a hospital spokesman said. They have one child. On top of everything, the adhesives and prosthetics aggravated his skin. A defensive lineman from the University of Tampa, Matuszak was the Houston Oilers' number one pick in the 1973 draft. During one of his football training camps, he added Valium to his beer, which nearly killed him. But just because he was performing well on the field, it didnt mean that hed given up shenanigans all together. Stephanie Cozart Burton was born on 10 November 1953 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. Still, he was happy to be free of the painkillers, and being black and blue on Mondays. There was a players' strike, which he vocally supported, and the Oilers started to sour on him. Shaddock received high praise from critics. 1970s - DL John Matuszak died at 38 in 1989 after life of partying, including drug use and suspected steroid use. The report also said that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart) and bronchopneumonia had been contributing factors in his death. According tosportscasting.com, Matuszak also had a life-threatening incident before his death. Matuszak's life was a multifaceted one. Three of their defensive linemen had suffered season-ending injuries, and they needed a big player to keep them competitive. This led to endless heartbreak, a crisis of faith, and trouble being around children going forward for Matuszak their presence made him deeply sad. Then he grew into a physical colossus, became a big-time California football star, and eventually, an out-and-out movie star. ), High school baseball: Southern Section playoff pairings, Dig this: Long Beach States Mason Briggs could be next big thing at libero, Kentucky Derby storylines: Training death puts early pall over Churchill Downs, Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies: How to watch, start times and betting odds, Elliott: Pissed off Kings must improve in key areas to break Oilers playoff stranglehold. Mr. Matuszak's lawyer argued that he was being made a scapegoat because of his fame and financial success. Matuszak reflected, in this moment, upon how deeply affected he had been by seeing Muhammad Ali on TV after Ali's career had taken a physical toll and made the legendary boxer into a shell of his former self. Why was his stint in Washington so short-lived? The chance to work with Donner and Spielberg was once-in-a-lifetime. His second season in Houston ended before it ever started. Matuszak tried to take it easy on his back while filming. He was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. "Car troubles" could have been the name of his biography: He amassed a long rap sheet of arrests, including ones for aggressive driving, careless driving, possession of drugs, and drunken driving. In 1987,Matuszak got in yet another car accident, but instead of exchanging insurance information which would have been perfectly cordial given that Matuszak was huge and anyone who was on the receiving end of a fender-bender with the guy would have almost certainly been really understanding Matuszak decided to punch the driver and leave the scene. He is currently single. Is John Matuszak in the Hall of Fame? With the Masons, Mr. Griffith was a Royal Patron of the Order of the Amaranth, Alexandria Court No. The displeased Oilers traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs for Curley Culp, another player who had threatened to jump to the WFL, and a first-round draft choice in 1975 on October 22, 1974. He is a member of famous with the age 39 years old group. John Daniel Matuszak (October 25, 1950 - June 17, 1989) was an American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) who later became an actor. John Matuszak is UPDATE SOON. At 39 years old, John Matuszak height At 6-foot-9, Mr. Matuszak, who played with the Raiders from 1976 to 1981, was an imposing sight on the field, staring down opponents with a black-bearded scowl before shooting off the defensive line with great speed for his 280 pounds. According to the LA Times, after the Matuszak family moved from downtown Milwaukee to the village of Oak Creek, Matuszak would often come home from school crying because the other kids were picking on him for being a "gawky beanpole.". By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. He was a graduate of the Powell Business School in his native Scranton, Pa., and Catholic University law school. Matuszak also left the contents of his house in Franklin, Wis., to his sister, the boys mother, Christine Evancy. She was also a member of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Silver Spring. We assure our audience that we will remove any contents that are not accurate or according to formal reports and queries if they are justified. His cause of death was listed as "acute propoxyphene intoxication.". Raiders 24 -Steelers 7. John Matuszak was born on 25 October, 1950 in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, United States. John Matuszak was in an on-screen matchup with Barbara Bach in Caveman (1981). [3], Matuszak was the first pick of the 1973 NFL Draft, selected by the Houston Oilers. Matuszak was enormously excited to work with Donner and producer Steven Spielberg, whom he called "the Al Davis of Hollywood.". He earned his accounting degree from Southeastern University in Washington. Of course, he played Sloth in the Goonies, but Matuszak was also involved in a number of other acclaimed films. ; two sisters, Gertrude Robey of Alexandria, and Thelma Rogers of Winchester, Va.; and six grandchildren. He was gangly and tall, but hadn't yet developed that football player physique, and that made him an easy target. Matuszak later moved to the University of Missouri on a football scholarship and represented the Missouri Tigers in his sophomore college year. John Matuszaks income source is mostly from being a successful . Survivors include two children by his first marriage, Nancy Stetter Graham and Grant Hamilton Stetter, both of Falls Church; two stepsons, Navy Capt. donated time to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Matuszak was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. There was also cocaine in his system but the amount was so small it was not considered to have contributed to his death.. Drafted by the Houston Oilers in the 1st round (1st overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft. After seeing Steve Reeves play the title role in 1958'sHercules, he asked his parents for weights to bulk up his skinny frame. He died as a result of "acute propoxyphene intoxication," a painkiller known by the trade name of Darvon, at the untimely age of 38. He came to Washington in 1936 when he joined the FBI as a special agent. Sadly, Matuszak died of a drug overdose at the age of 38: His life was fully lived, but way too short. John "The Tooz" Matuszak, 38, the former hard-hitting, hard-living defensive lineman with the Oakland Raiders who played on two Super Bowl teams before turning to an acting career, died June 17 at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Calif. I take nothing, not even sleeping pills., Ive hit damn near bottom. He enjoyed the company of kids, but afterwards, they made him feel depressed. Mr. Stetter, who lived in Calabash, N.C., worked for the FBI here for 16 years before retiring in 1952. But John Matuszak was only 38 when he died, so maybe he needed a few more years. It was a minor separation of his shoulder, but Matuszak played through it, the Oilers were then the worst team in the NFL, it didn't exactly turn out to be a KC masterpiece, seeing Muhammad Ali on TV after Ali's career had taken a physical toll. Paramedics attempted to perform CPR, but Matuszak's chest was so huge it was "like hitting a rock wall.". In 1972, Matuszak made a place in the All American Team. Cookies help us deliver our Services. New Orleans isn't the easiest place to be free of distractions, and while most players resisted the city's temptations, the Tooz just couldn't help himself and partied himself into unconsciousness. [7] In his autobiography, Matuszak stated that he used drugs and abused alcohol while playing professional football. Matuszak never had any children. Matuszak's other notable movies are One Crazy Summer (1986), Ghost Writer (1989), The Princess and the Dwarf (1989), and many others.His last movie, Down the Drain, was released in 1990, after his demise. Turns out, the pummelee was an Air Force cadet who ended up with 18 fractures in his face he needed a whopping 10 hours of surgery to be made whole again. To make matters worse, he was a shy boy struggling with self-esteem issues and an awkward body: Matuszak was 6'1" by the age of 12. His teammates tried to rouse him, but he was unresponsive. Connect any celebrity with John Matuszak to see how closely they are linked romantically! The rest of his estate, $230,000 in personal property, $217,000 in real property and $10,000 in income from that property, was left to his mother and his sisters, Karen and Dawn Matuszak. But the story behind the actor who played Sloth is almost as unbelievable as the plot of The Goonies. As a result, as he put it, "painkillers are a way of life in the NFL." In the world of professional sports, you can get away with a lot once you've proven yourself. During World War II, he served with the Army Air Forces in England. He died in 1989 of an accidental propoxyphene overdose. As an actor, he played in both films and television, appearing first as O.W. The will was signed July 13, 1984, and in it Matuszak left his championship ring from Super Bowl XI to nephew Justin Evancy, and his ring from Super Bowl XV to Justins brother, Luke Evancy. One year, while with the Raiders, he played Santa Claus at a children's hospital, and the emotions that came with it changed his mind and outlook. That was not the case with Matuszak, Boucher said, but he declined to speculate on what else may have caused the death, pending test results. Survivors include his wife, Louise B. Griffith of Alexandria; a son, E . He made sports page headlines when he violated team curfew by partying in New Orleans the night before the Raiders beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 in the 1981 Super Bowl. John Matuszak and Stephanie Cozart Burton wer See After that he ended up at theUniversity of Tampa, where he became an All-American and was eventually the No. In June of 1989, it appeared that John Matuszak did "go back.". But afterward, he gradually began to fall back into his hard-partying ways. Matuszak was then picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs, only to be dropped after head coach Paul Wiggin found him unconscious and not breathing one day. Mr. Matuszak also wrote his autobiography, "Cruisin' With The Tooz." He was born John Daniel Matuszak in Oak Creek, Wis. . Unfortunately, he probably took too much of it precisely because it was "mild." He attended the University of Tampa and played for their football team. His heart momentarily stopped, and he came shockingly close to death. His last movie,Down the Drain, was released in 1990, after his demise. The displeased Oilers traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs for Curley Culp, another player who had threatened to jump to the WFL, and a first-round draft choice in 1975 on October 22, 1974. There were also traces of cocaine found in his blood stream. The Raiders ended up taking down the Vikings in Super Bowl XI. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. After he retired, most of the wild antics came to an end. Tooz decided he didn't want to end up like that, and called it quits on May 10, 1983. Matuszak died at the age of 38 on 17 June 1989. The bullying was part of what inspired Matuszak to become an athlete a tall, bulky, football player is a whole lot less vulnerable to ridicule than a tall, skinny, beanpole. John Matuszak's personal life was also affected by all the hard-partying. Fresh out of college, Matuszaks drug use was so outrageous that his teammates called him John Glenn, like the famous astronaut because he was often flying high. So despite his massive frame and incredible talent on the field, his football career was extremely rocky. [5][6], Matuszak's football career was often overshadowed by his lifestyle. In his delightful and salacious biography, Sir Tooz summarizes his day job simply: "Football is a violent game and best played with a violent frame of mind." Sloth was played by actor John Matuszak, who was a football player before moving into acting. Kansas City was the next stop on the trouble tour, and it didn't exactly turn out to be a KC masterpiece. As an actor, Matuszak played in both films and television, appearing first as O.W. Survivors include two children by his first marriage, Nancy Stetter Graham and Grant Hamilton Stetter, both of Falls Church; two stepsons, Navy Capt. Matuszak acted professionally in the 1980s, making appearances in feature films and on television, often portraying football players or gentle giants. Everything in his life was large: The wins on the field at any cost, the painkillers needed to offset those costs, the meals needed to sustain his lifestyle. 11; and past patron of the Martha Washington Chapter No. John Daniel Tooz Matuszak was an American professional football defensive lineman in the National Football League and also an actor. No one is really sure. Even John Matuszak's fiancee Stephanie Cozart couldn't convince him to stay clean. news He then joined the Raiders as a free agent just before the second game of the 1976 season. "I have a little velvet box at home," Cozart told the LA Times. The winning continued, and they got back to the promised land in 1979 for Super Bowl XV in New Orleans. Following his sophomore season at Mizzou, Matuszak transferred to the University of Tampa, where he became the star of their football team. Matuszak and his just-mentioned wife had a not unexpected rocky relationship. He was 38. On a particularly rowdy night, he was arrested for driving drunk and firing a gun at street signs. Matuszak was the only one of the first six selections of the 1973 draft to never earn first team All-Pro honors. His biography, Cruisin' with the Tooz, written with Steve Delsohn, was published in 1987. One other complication that was a factor in his death was that he had an enlarged heart, too big even for his massive frame. She was a past president of the Arlington Northwest Lioness Club. Seven years later, Matuszak would join Belushi on the list of actors who died in their prime. At 6ft 9 and weighing 20st, John was an imposing presence and a hit with the ladies. Matuszak apparently hadnt learned his lesson about drugs and alcohol because he was dropped from that team as well when coach George Allen expressed concerns over is diet of Vodka and Valium, the breakfast of champions., Finally, Matuszak ended up playing for the Oakland Raiders under the famous coach John Madden. It doesn't matter if you're too short, too tall, too fat, or too skinny they're going to find something about you to pick on. His wild partying eventually landed him in court. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. How many men get to work under the genius of both John Madden and Steven Spielberg? Matuszak enrolled at Mizzou for his sophomore year of college, where he played one season of football for the Tigers as a tight end. After losing his brothers during his childhood, being around children was always a painful experience for Matuszak. He was in AA Alcoholics Anonymous and he was trying his damnedest to succeed. His mask had 15 overlapping pieces to it, including electronic eyes and ears. He pleaded guilty, but then told a reporter: "Some guy purposely caused an accident." John Matuszak's personal life was also affected by all the hard-partying. Kent State's standouts included future Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert and Gary Pinkel, who coached Missouri from 2001-15. John Matuszak (October 25, 1950 - June 17, 1989) was a football player and actor who portrayed Sloth in The Goonies. Propoxyphene is considered a "mild narcotic" and is less addictive than similar drugs, probably prescribed to Matuszak in light of his past abuses. . His part was more complex than he could have imagined. 50 of the Order of the Eastern Star, the McLean chapters of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees and the American Association of Retired Persons, the Department of Defense garden and antique clubs and the Annapolis Lioness Club. He attended the University of Tampa and played for their football team. As a result, the city kid's world was rocked when his family moved to rural Oak Creek, Wisconsin. 7; past master of the Alexandria Washington Lodge No. His best known role was as the deformed Sloth in the 1985 movie The Goonies. So, how much is John Matuszak worth at the age of 39 years old? By the time he became a professional athlete, Matuszak stood 6ft 8in (2.03m) and weighed over 280lb (130kg). John Matuszak. But when it came to John Matuszak, trouble seemed to follow him wherever he went. Matuszak was notorious for sneaking women into his room at training camp and even somehow onto the team plane. At the time, Manuszak had just appeared on an episode of Miami Vice and was filming an action movie called One Man Force.

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