Ray Easterling(1949-2012)
Rau Easterling played for the Atlanta Falcons from 1972 to 1979,
helping to lead the team's "Gritz Blitz" defense in 1977 that set the
NFL record for fewest points allowed in a season. Easterling played
football in college at the University of Richmond. He was drafted by
the Falcons with the 9th round pick in 1972 and played for seven years,
starting four seasons. He was a leader of the secondary that
established a team record in 1977 with 26 interceptions. The defense
that year set the NFL record at the time for allowing just 129 points
in a season. After his playing days ended, he returned to Richmond
where he ran a financial services company and started a youth football
camp. But he started showing signs of brain damage about 20 years ago,
according to his wife Mary Ann and friends. Mary Ann Easterling said
that her husband had suffered through depression and insomnia, both of
which can be caused by head trauma, had been diagnosed with dementia
last month at age 62, and had had 25 orthopedic surgeries. He was part
of a group of seven former players, the first named plaintiff, who sued
the NFL in Philadelphia in August of 2011, claiming that the league
failed to properly treat players for concussion and tried to conceal
for decades any links between football and brain injuries. It was the
first potential class-action lawsuit that was filed. His wife said she
will fight to continue the lawsuit despite her husband's death, and
will urge the league to establish a fund for players like her husband
who suffered traumatic brain injuries from their playing days.