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tear that required season-ending surgery two days later. He then injured his knee again in a bar fight in March 1999, which required further surgery, ending his next season as well. The
Steelers placed him on injured reserve and paid him $ 187,000, a fraction of the $ 1.5 million he was scheduled to
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and was a local basketball star. As a 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) forward, Strzelczyk averaged 21 points a game as a junior and 22 as a senior, earning all-Western New York honors. Despite his love for football, Strzelczyk was set on playing basketball in college. However
Strzelczyk's dad, who
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The film depicted the efforts of Omalu, who fought against the efforts by the NFL to suppress his research on the brain damage suffered by professional football players called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease that football players get from taking constant hits to the head and causing
912:"Collective Force of Head Hits, Not Just the Number of Them, Increases Odds of C.T.E. The largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy to date found that the cumulative force of head hits absorbed by players in their careers is the best predictor of future brain disease"
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where he became a school teacher and a painting contractor in the summer breaks. His father and mother, Mary Joyce, separated when
Strzelczyk was 7. Mary Joyce later called Strzelczyk's father a "tremendous influence" in sports. Growing up Strzelczyk played
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as well. In early 1993, he married his wife Keana, and the couple had two children, before a divorce in 2001. Strzelczyk was known to be a heavy drinker, like his father Connie.
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driven by 60-year-old Harold
Jackson (who was injured in the collision) while driving 90 miles per hour (140 km/h) against the flow of traffic to evade capture by the
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was suspended for one year. The sentence was later reduced to two months. In late 2003, Strzelczyk suddenly swore off alcohol and all drugs, even prescription medication.
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was injured and missed four games in 1992, Strzelczyk leaped into starting duty. He then started 75 of the 133 games he played and started at every line position, except
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On
October 16, 2009, West Seneca West High School retired Strzelczyk's football jersey #46. He was a member of the high school's graduating class of 1986.
747:. He also invested in several businesses that failed, losing hundreds of thousands of dollars, although the monetary losses did not cripple his finances.
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earn. Then, he tore his biceps on
January 24, 2000, celebrating a hockey game. The string of injuries prompted the Steelers to waive Strzelczyk.
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Strzelczyk had several issues with the police after his career ended. In
November 2000, Strzelczyk was arrested and charged with carrying a
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In 2007, Strzelczyk's mother, Mary
Strzelczyk, granted Omalu permission to examine her son's brain. Strzelczyk was played by
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and briefly brandished the weapon. He was acquitted eight-and-a-half months later. In early 2003, he was cited for
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had played college basketball only to end up teaching, convinced him that he had a better future in football.
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without a permit. The handgun belonged to a friend of his, with whom he had gotten into a discussion over
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linked the deaths of
Strzelczyk to chronic traumatic encephalopathy like three other retired NFL players—
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or other drugs due to his irrational behavior, but that was disproved by toxicity tests. A postmortem
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After being waived by the
Steelers, Strzelczyk hunted for ways to fill the time. He began cooking
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titles, during Strzelczyk's time on the team. Teammates stated that he hated
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231:(August 18, 1968 – September 30, 2004) was an American professional
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Players of American football with chronic traumatic encephalopathy
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881:"The driving force behind Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)"
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He was buried at the Saint Stanislaus Roman Catholic Cemetery in
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with this disease, which is caused by repeated hits to the head.
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In May 1998 Strzelczyk's father died after being paralyzed in a
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976:. West Seneca High School. October 16, 2009. Archived from
1082:"Adam Sandler's "Lonesome Kicker" Gets Help From Steelers"
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during his first two seasons. However, when right tackle
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until shoulder pain prevented him from throwing anymore.
974:"2009 Alumni Night: Retiring Justin Strzelczyk's jersey"
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roster after the team's 1990 training camp and moved to
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It was initially thought that Strzelczyk was under the
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Players of American football from Buffalo, New York
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353:, who drafted Strzelczyk in the 11th round of the
910:Ken Belson and Benjamin Mueller (June 20, 2023).
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1025:"Justin Strzelczyk, Combine Results, OT - Maine"
786:was left at his home. He died in a car crash in
1132:"NFL begins debate about concussions at summit"
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1113:"Lineman, Dead at 36, Exposes Brain Injuries"
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798:after a 40-mile (64 km) chase along the
337:. He was given the nickname "Jughead", after
949:"What drove Justin Strzelczyk to his death?"
146: / round: 11 / pick: 293
1058:. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from
649:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
321:Strzelczyk went on to play football at the
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349:. There he impressed then-Steelers coach,
282:, from 1958 to 1960. He later returned to
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669:Learn how and when to remove this message
1373:Road incident deaths in New York (state)
36:Strzelczyk's 1998 Steelers profile photo
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774:Strzelczyk was supposed to arrive in
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1155:"The Sad Story of Justin Strzelczyk"
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647:adding citations to reliable sources
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341:. In January 1990, he played in the
238:who played nine full seasons in the
16:American football player (1968–2004)
1353:American football offensive linemen
566:crash. Five months later, during a
307:West Seneca West Senior High School
270:Strzelczyk was born and grew up in
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1363:Maine Black Bears football players
1056:"Strzelczyk killed in fiery crash"
947:Finder, Chuck (October 31, 2004).
708:, watching videos, reading books,
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1378:American people of Polish descent
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1088:. October 1, 1997. Archived from
1054:Jerry DiPaola (October 1, 2004).
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258:(CTE). He is one of at least 345
102:6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
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813:Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
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587:Strzelczyk appeared in the 1997
256:chronic traumatic encephalopathy
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1130:Mihoces, Gary (June 20, 2007).
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885:Concussion Legacy Foundation
513:All values from NFL Combine
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1368:Pittsburgh Steelers players
339:the Archie comics character
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1157:. AOL News. Archived from
1004:Pro-Football-Reference.com
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1000:"1990 NFL Draft Listing"
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280:Montana State University
240:National Football League
229:Justin Conrad Strzelczyk
21:American football player
953:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
802:. He was 36 years old.
800:New York State Thruway
776:Orchard Park, New York
366:Pre-draft measurables
1092:on September 12, 2012
1029:nflcombineresults.com
980:on September 26, 2010
863:damage to the brain.
825:revealed that he had
807:Cheektowaga, New York
796:New York State Police
733:Sturgis, South Dakota
568:Monday Night Football
541:offensive coordinator
343:East-West Shrine Game
325:. The school won two
180:Career NFL statistics
124:West Seneca West (NY)
75:West Seneca, New York
819:influence of alcohol
643:improve this section
57:Personal information
1241:Pittsburgh Steelers
1062:on October 14, 2011
593:The Lonesome Kicker
574:, Strzelczyk had a
521:Pittsburgh Steelers
501:9 ft 0 in
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361:Pittsburgh Steelers
323:University of Maine
244:Pittsburgh Steelers
159:Pittsburgh Steelers
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1117:The New York Times
917:The New York Times
788:Herkimer, New York
572:Kansas City Chiefs
570:game, against the
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115:Career information
92:Herkimer, New York
85:September 30, 2004
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1312:Justin Strzelczyk
1184:Justin Strzelczyk
855:in the 2015 film
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1274:Craig Veasey
1188:Find a Grave
1163:. Retrieved
1159:the original
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1136:. Retrieved
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1096:February 21,
1094:. Retrieved
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889:the original
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842:Andre Waters
838:Mike Webster
834:Bennet Omalu
827:brain damage
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641:Please help
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589:Adam Sandler
586:
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519:He made the
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496:29.0 in
384:40-yard dash
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305:He attended
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120:High school:
87:(2004-09-30)
18:
1343:2004 deaths
1338:1968 births
1307:Eddie Miles
1297:Karl Dunbar
1292:Dan Grayson
1165:January 29,
1138:January 29,
1066:January 29,
984:January 29,
853:Matt Willig
756:gun control
714:day trading
686:motorcycles
583:Music video
553:Ray Sherman
549:Chan Gailey
545:Ron Erhardt
533:Tunch Ilkin
435:282 lb
410:Bench press
272:West Seneca
1332:Categories
1302:Gary Jones
1259:Eric Green
1249:selections
1034:January 1,
867:References
858:Concussion
846:Terry Long
792:tank truck
784:cell phone
780:crucifixes
601:Greg Lloyd
576:quadriceps
416:6 ft
405:Broad jump
377:Arm length
351:Chuck Noll
347:California
293:basketball
266:Early life
140:NFL draft:
68:1968-08-18
1288:Ron Heard
630:does not
380:Hand span
47:Position:
762:and his
710:cribbage
471: in
453: in
430: in
345:held in
331:steroids
297:baseball
276:New York
233:football
130:College:
1009:May 25,
923:July 2,
895:July 2,
823:autopsy
752:firearm
745:daycare
741:Balance
698:Oakland
651:removed
636:sources
543:, from
507:12 reps
466:⁄
448:⁄
425:⁄
300:pitcher
284:Buffalo
165:–
107:Weight:
99:Height:
782:. His
702:guitar
603:, and
537:center
492:4.49 s
487:2.91 s
482:1.78 s
477:5.04 s
374:Weight
371:Height
289:hockey
94:, U.S.
77:, U.S.
42:No. 73
770:Death
737:skied
735:. He
706:banjo
246:from
134:Maine
82:Died:
62:Born:
1167:2011
1140:2011
1098:2012
1068:2011
1036:2023
1011:2023
986:2011
960:2023
925:2023
897:2023
844:and
723:and
712:and
704:and
692:and
634:any
632:cite
525:Plum
252:1998
248:1990
167:1998
163:1990
144:1990
1186:at
1086:MTV
760:DUI
731:in
696:in
645:by
551:to
547:to
250:to
216:PFR
192:133
1334::
1115:.
1084:.
1044:^
1027:.
1002:.
951:.
933:^
914:.
883:.
848:.
840:,
809:.
607:.
599:,
559:.
441:32
357:.
274:,
200:75
1232:e
1225:t
1218:v
1169:.
1142:.
1119:.
1100:.
1070:.
1038:.
1013:.
988:.
962:.
927:.
899:.
860:.
672:)
666:(
661:)
657:(
653:.
639:.
468:4
464:1
461:+
459:9
450:2
446:1
443:+
427:8
423:1
420:+
418:5
169:)
161:(
70:)
66:(
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