That was the part of the Tooz, a big part, that never left high school. The assignment was to explain a death that came much too soon. He attended the University of Tampa and played for their football team. So, he bulked up his grades at Fort Dodge, a junior college. He was no fan of the press, as the press always fed on his exploits, leading to the perception that he was a real "bad dude." TIL John Matuszak, best known for playing Sloth in The Goonies, was a state champion in the shot put, was the #1 overall draft pick in the NFL, was served a restraining order during a game, had a head coach perform life-saving CPR, won 2 Super Bowls, and acted with Ringo Starr before ODing at 38 So it was off to the University of Tampa for Matuszak, an "outlaw school" where undesirables went to be desired. 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. Tragically, within four years of that family classic's release, the ex-NFL player passed away aged just 38, due to an accidental overdose of a since-outlawed prescription painkiller. he was one of famous actor and American football player (1950-1989 . He was born John Daniel Matuszak in Oak Creek, Wis. Matuszak also played for various NFL teams; his longest stint of six years having been spent with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, and later joining the Houston Oilers. As a kid, John Matuszak was still growing into his body. 6ft 7 (201.3 cm) US footballer, turned Actor. 11; and past patron of the Martha Washington Chapter No. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1985. I knew him as Sloth, the nice, lovable giant.". Carter Reso and Navy Cmdr. Two of his little brothers died of it: Christopher after two months of life, and David at the age of two years. 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. But John Matuszak was only 38 when he died, so maybe he needed a few more years. 1 NFL draft pick in 1973, thus proving that it's okay to mess up someone's face as long as you didn't actually mean to mess up his face, and as long as you're really, really good at football. That's right: As Cohen describes it, the "shock and horror" on Chunk's face in that moment is real. John Matuszak, who won two Super Bowls as a member of the Raiders, died on June 17, 1989 at the age of 38. At a crowded party, Matuszak caught sight of a student assaulting his girlfriend, and so he decided to pummel him. Oct. 25, 1989 12 AM PT. Matuszak was part of one of football's most surreal moments. Matuszak actually came close to recovering and making a comeback, but he reinjured himself in 1983 trying to dodge a puppy on a beach. Educational Background. After he retired, most of the wild antics came to an end. 1st & Ten is an American sitcom that aired between December 1984 and January 1991 on the cable television network HBO.Featuring series regulars Delta Burke and veteran Reid Shelton, it was one of cable's first attempts to lure the lucrative sitcom audience away from the then-dominant "Big Three" broadcast television networks, by taking advantage of their freedom to include occasional profanity . [5][6], Matuszak's football career was often overshadowed by his lifestyle. "At the proper time, we will have things to say about substance abuse and the scoundrels in the medical profession who recklessly dispense prescription drugs and the parasites of society who distribute illicit drugs from back alleys to fashionable condominiums," they said in a statement. The university didn't like that, and revoked his scholarship. John Allen Hannah (born April 4, 1951), nicknamed "Hog", is an American former football guard who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the New England Patriots.He played college football at Alabama, where he twice received All-American honors, and was selected fourth overall by the Patriots in the 1973 NFL Draft.Considered one of the greatest offensive linemen of . John Grunenwald was born on January 25, 1928 in Kingston, NY, to John Grunenwald and Frances Grunenwald. Matuszak also played for various NFL teams; his longest stint of six years having been spent with the Oakland/Los . In 1968, when 18 there is a newspaper (Iowa Press) which mentioned "Another big line prospect is John Matuszak, 6-7 and 240" . He was supervisor of the criminal informant program when he left to become a partner in the firm of Tyler & Stetter. He pleaded guilty, but then told a reporter: "Some guy purposely caused an accident." [4] In 1976, the Kansas City Chiefs traded Matuszak to the Washington Redskins but he was released by the Redskins soon after. An enlarged heart and pneumonia were also contributing factors in his demise. As his fame grew, so did his personality, which stretched way beyond the gridiron. Matuszak was enormously excited to work with Donner and producer Steven Spielberg, whom he called "the Al Davis of Hollywood.". 18: Matuszak never had any children. Top Rated Seller. He regularly took the painkiller Darvocet to keep away severe back pains, which led to his heart failure. He had two brothers, but both died of cystic fibrosis at young ages. John Matuszak wasbest known for appearingon numerous 1980s TV series likeTrapper John M.D. He attended the University of Tampa and played for their football team. OnJune 17, 1989, he accidentallyoverdosed on Darvocet, a combination of Tylenol and a painkiller called propoxyphene. Inducted into the University of Tampa Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983. Shaddock received high praise from critics. John Matuszak in the 1940 Census. John Matuszak, the former Los Angeles Raider who died of an accidental overdose of painkiller last summer, left most of his estate to his mother . [3], Matuszak was the first pick of the 1973 NFL Draft, selected by the Houston Oilers. The Raiders ended up taking down the Vikings in Super Bowl XI. In Matuszak's first season,the Raiders won their first Super Bowl title, and Matuszak played a big part in that victory. 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. In the first four years of his professional career, Matuszak played for four different teams. He appeared on such TV shows as "M*A*S*H," "Trapper John, M.D." Survivors include her husband of 43 years, Kenneth Spencer, of Columbia; a daughter, Susan Elliker, of Norfolk; a son, William Spencer, of Columbia, a brother, Tracy Page, of Farmington, Conn., and four grandchildren. College football was the next logical step for Matuszak, but his 1.7 GPA wasn't good enough for his dream school, Iowa. 3. Matuszak, also known as "The Tooz," tried out for the Houston Texans of the World Football League. Mrs. Clark was a native of Washington and a graduate of Washington-Lee High School in Arlington. Home; Trees; . 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. Yet he ended up calling his time in Houston his imprisonment. He was a brawler, a partier, and a guy who didn't want to take responsibility for his actions, but he loved children and he was known for his generosity. ; two sisters, Gertrude Robey of Alexandria, and Thelma Rogers of Winchester, Va.; and six grandchildren. Matuszak did not see much playing time at Mizzou because the starting tight end was an excellent blocker. The internal policing that took place within that room, combined with a sense of purpose that came from those championship stakes, led the man they called "the Tooz" to begin to reinvent himself. Matuszak later moved to the University of Missouri on a football scholarship and represented the Missouri Tigers in his sophomore college year. And when he misbehaved so blatantly that they couldn't really ignore what he'd done, they usually just laughed about it. The Thoroughbred racehorse Matuszak, which finished 10th in the 2014 Belmont Stakes, was NOT named after John Matuszak. Then, and now, you could make a very strong case that football was partly responsible for his death. He also couldn't have asked for a better coach either, as he finally found one he could respect and play even harder for: The one and only John Madden. Matuszak also played for various NFL teams--his longest stint of six years having been spent with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders--and later joined . As a result, as he put it, "painkillers are a way of life in the NFL." Eight out of 10 plays, they don't get anything. Hisfirst lead rolecame in the 1985 adventure comedy filmThe Goonies. One of these offenses killed a pending endorsement deal that would have seen him appear in beer commercials. 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. Matuszak's other notable movies areOne Crazy Summer(1986),Ghost Writer(1989),The Princess and the Dwarf(1989), and many others. Popularly known as the actor and American football player of United States of America. KORY WOLF in the Centerfold (gorgeous Blonde hunk). Following his sophomore season at Mizzou, Matuszak transferred to the University of Tampa, where he became the star of their football team. He started his college career at the University of Missouri, then transferred to the University of Tampa. 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. He attended the University of Tampa and played for their football team. But along with his Herculean proportions came a similarly epic drug and alcohol problem. He played a disfigured character Sloth Fratelli in the film. At the time, Manuszak had just appeared on an episode of Miami Vice and was filming an action movie called One Man Force. Matuszak, 38, who retired from professional football because of injuries in 1983 and pursued an acting career, was pronounced dead Saturday night in the emergency room of St. Joseph Medical Center . Don't miss out on getting unique John Matuszak Throwback Jersey for your home and office. Matuszak's life came to an untimely end on June 17, 1989, when he died from an accidental overdose of a prescription drug at the age of 38, The New York Times reported. John Daniel Matuszak (October 25, 1950 - June 17, 1989) was an American football defensive end in the National Football League who later became an actor. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Want to solve climate change? John Matuszak (October 25, 1950 - June 17, 1989) was a football player and actor who portrayed Sloth in The Goonies. The staff did not quibble with the Tooz's tales of his long trip from the South Pole. His net worth is USD $4 million (approx) in 2021. By John Matuszak | Cleveland.com. In 1974, while he was still playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, he upset his wife, so she tried to run him over with their Cadillac convertible. Sloth was a 1980s icon, as beloved as E.T. UNKNOWN. Unfortunately, he probably took too much of it precisely because it was "mild." [7] In his autobiography, he stated that he used drugs and abused alcohol while playing professional football. Why, I wasn't even the most valuable senior athlete in my high school in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. On June 5, 1986, an Alameda County (Calif.) Superior Court jury ruled in his favor when he was sued for $1.5 million by two persons, one a male stripper, who accused the former defensive end of beating him up in a barroom brawl. TVs CHEERS' Ted Danson and Shelley Long cover story. John Matuszak's personal life was also affected by all the hard-partying. He participated in the 1978 World's Strongest Man competition, where he placed ninth. In between these early acting gigs, he found time to unwind and undress for Playgirlin 1982. Tragic Details About The Actor Who Played Sloth. His next role was in 1981's Caveman, opposite Ringo Starr, which no critic"confused [with]Gone With The Wind." Luckily, his coach rushed him to the hospital and saved his life. And it never had anything to do with the fact that he was high.". He then joined the Raiders as a free agent just before the second game of the 1976 season. John Matuszak was drafted first overall in the 1973 NFL draft by the Houston Oilers. She later promised him that she'd set another wedding date when he finally got a 90-day chip, but the Goonies star always failed. Three of their defensive linemen had suffered season-ending injuries, and they needed a big player to keep them competitive. ", The gamble paid off. 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, 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. 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. Ex-fiance Stephanie Cozart once told Matuszak that his undoing was his failure to accept responsibility for pretty much everything that happened in his life. After his wife forgave him for whatever transgression had been worthy of turning him into a rubber-stained, 280-pound pancake, they had a round of makeup love in the Chiefs' locker room. John Matuszak in Wisconsin. His castmates on Goonies remembered him as a "sweetheart. 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.". John Matuszak was just 38 when he died of heart failure a decade ago, and his flamboyance made an explanation mandatory. As a result, the city kid's world was rocked when his family moved to rural Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle John Matuszak during the Chiefs 24-14 victory over the San Diego Chargers on October 27, 1974 at San Diego. One other complication that was a factor in his death was that he had an enlarged heart, too big even for his massive frame. And with acting, you have to pull all the stops to make it work. Nothing seemed able to stop the other kids from teasing him incessantly. It was followed by his appearances in the movieCaveman(1981) andThe Ice Pirates(1984). John Matuszak The most important aspect of my signing with the WFL was not to demean or undermine the National Football League, but rather to make professional football a form of employment where management recognizes its workers as individuals capable of communicating on an intelligent level. So even then, The Tooz had a reputation for drink and debauchery, though it would only get worse as the years passed. After sitting out the 1982 season in Los Angeles, where the Raiders moved that year, with an injury, he retired to pursue full time an acting career in which he had dabbled while a player. He even seemed to have kicked his drug habit, according to his 1987 autobiography Cruisin With the Tooz. 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