Larry Bethea

Larry Bethea
No. 76
Position: Defensive end / Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1956-07-21)July 21, 1956
Florence, South Carolina
Died: April 23, 1987(1987-04-23) (aged 30)
Hampton, Virginia
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight: 251 lb (114 kg)
Career information
High school: Ferguson (VA)
College: Michigan State
NFL Draft: 1978 / Round: 1 / Pick: 28
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 81
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Larry Bethea (July 21, 1956 – April 24, 1987) was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Michigan Panthers, Oakland Invaders and Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League. He played college football at Michigan State University. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound within hours of being identified as a suspect in two armed robberies.[1]

Early years

Bethea was a standout for Ferguson High School, playing both ways as an offensive end and defensive end. He was a Parade All-American and a Group AAA All-state selection in 1973.[2] He also was a distinguished student that received football scholarship offers from Harvard and Yale.

He accepted a football scholarship from the Michigan State University, where he began as a tight end until being converted into a defensive tackle during his sophomore season.

His 1977 season was arguably the greatest ever by a Michigan State football player, when he totaled 45 solo tackles, 45 assisted tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 16 sacks, becoming such a dominant force that he was the first defensive player to receive Big Ten Conference MVP honors since Dick Butkus in 1964.

Bethea finished his college career as a three-year starter, with school records in: career sacks (33), career tackles for loss (43) and sacks in a season (16).[3]

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Bethea was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round (28th overall) of the 1978 NFL Draft, who were looking for an eventual successor to either Harvey Martin or Ed "Too Tall" Jones.[4] As a rookie, he played on special teams and was a back up behind Harvey Martin and Jethro Pugh. His most notable play was stopping Los Angeles Rams' fullback Jim Jodat at the Cowboys' 11 yard line on fourth and one during the third quarter of the 1978 NFC Championship game.[5]

In 1979, after Jones retired to pursue a boxing career, he was named the starter at left defensive end at the beginning of training camp. The job went to Larry Cole and Bethea was moved to defensive tackle, where he could not move ahead of Dave Stalls on the depth chart. He started 2 times in place of an injured Randy White, finishing the season with 28 tackles and 4 sacks.

In 1981, he was a backup defensive tackle and collected 2 sacks in the season opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. He started in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers in place of an injured John Dutton, and although he recovered a fumble, he was one of the defenders that Joe Montana released his pass over so Dwight Clark could make "The Catch", propelling the 49ers to a 28-27 win.[6]

In 1982, he was a backup at defensive end and registered 2 sacks. Bethea was a backup at defensive end and defensive tackle, but his production began to dwindle as his personal problems and addictions grew. Although he remained with the Cowboys for six years, he failed to become a regular starter and live up to his potential.

Michigan Panthers (USFL)

On February 1, 1984, Bethea signed a three-year guaranteed contract with the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League.[7] His personal problems continued with the Panthers, as he was suspended on different occasions.[8]

On April 10, 1985, after the Panthers merged with the Oakland Invaders, and the Invaders was the lone surviving team, Bethea was traded to the Houston Gamblers in exchange for a draft choice.[9]

Houston Gamblers (USFL)

In April 1985, he was released by the Houston Gamblers because of his inconsistent play and tardiness.[10]

Personal life

Bethea was rumored to have a drug abuse problem dating back to his college days, and cocaine addiction was blamed for the problems he had during his adult life.

His troubles with the law began in 1985 when he pleaded guilty to setting three fires in Mount Rainier National Park in Paradise Washington. He was ordered to pay $1,000 to the park to cover the cost of fighting the fires.[11]

In 1986, he was jailed on charges of assaulting his wife and stealing his mother's life savings of $64,000. In 1987, he was given a suspended four-year prison term for stealing. The judge also ordered Bethea to serve two years on probation while repaying the money.[12]

In the final incident, on April 23, 1987, police were called by an unidentified source who said the former football player had robbed two convenience stores. Bethea, 30, was later found in a friend's backyard with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his right temple and a .38-caliber automatic pistol near his body. He was taken to Hampton General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:08 a.m. The gun used in the shooting and the two robberies was believed to be a weapon that was reported stolen from a parked vehicle in the city.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Bethea Apparent Suicide, AP Published: April 24, 1987 - New York Times
  2. ↑ "84 More Blast From The Past". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  3. ↑ "MSU's top 50 football players: No. 27 Larry Bethea". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Cowboys Not Impressed With Draft Offers". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Cowboys Drill Los Angeles". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Famous Play Lives On". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Cowboys' Bethea USFL-bound". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Panthers Reinstated". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Bethea goes from Invaders to Gamblers". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Bethea Admits To Theft From Mother". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Ex-cowboy Charged With Setting Park Fires". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Bethea Pleads Guilty". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Bethea takes own life". Retrieved February 19, 2018.
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