The NFL lost another pillar on Thursday with the passing of legendary tackle Rayfield Wright.
He was 76 years old.
The cause of Wright's death remains unclear but it was reported that he was hospitalized after suffering a severe seizure. His passing was announced by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with president Jim Porter remembering Wright as a well-loved guy (via NFL).
“Over the past few weeks, it has become abundantly clear the love that so many Hall of Famers and others around the NFL felt toward Rayfield, his wife, Di, and the extended Wright family. His gentle nature away from the game belied his commanding presence on the field. All fans, especially those of the Cowboys, will remember fondly his dominance on the offensive line in the 1970s and how he took protecting Dallas quarterbacks as his personal mission.”
Wright played his entire 13-year NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, being one of the cornerstones of the team's ascent in the 1970s. He helped the Cowboys to five Super Bowl appearances and won two titles.
When he retired in 1980, he earned six straight Pro Bowl stints, three First Team All-Pro selections and three Second Team All-Pro nods. He was also named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1970s.
Wright, a Georgia native who was also drafted by the Cincinnati Royals in the NBA, was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
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