Andre Waters (March 10, 1962 – November 20, 2006) was an American defensive back in the National Football League who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals from 1984 to 1995. Waters was regarded as one of the NFL's hardest-hitting defenders, serving as an integral part of one of the league's top defenses. On November 20, 2006, Waters committed suicide in his Tampa, Florida home. March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Belle Glade is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee. ... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary on the western coast of Florida. ... In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time. ... In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players, who take positions directly behind the line of scrimmage. ... This is a list of athletic conferences of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). ... Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania was originally founded as the Institute for Colored Youth in 1837 by Richard Humphreys. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... City Glendale, Arizona Other nicknames The Cards, The Birds, Big Red Team colors Cardinal Red, Black, and White Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt Owner Bill Bidwill General manager Rod Graves Mascot Big Red League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1920–present) Western Division (1933-1949) American Conference (1950-1952) Eastern Conference... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players, who take positions directly behind the line of scrimmage. ... The National Football League (NFL) is the largest and most prestigious professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... City Glendale, Arizona Other nicknames The Cards, The Birds, Big Red Team colors Cardinal Red, Black, and White Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt Owner Bill Bidwill General manager Rod Graves Mascot Big Red League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1920–present) Western Division (1933-1949) American Conference (1950-1952) Eastern Conference... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rather than surrender to US soldiers, the Mayor (Bürgermeister) of Leipzig, Germany, committed suicide along with his wife and daughter on April 20, 1945. ... Nickname: Location in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida. ...

Early life

He was born in Belle Glade, Florida, grew up in the extreme poverty of rural Florida and attended Pahokee High School. As a senior at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania he was recognized as a football small college All-American. Belle Glade is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... The Pahokee High School (also known as the Pahokee Junior Senior High School) is a historic school in Pahokee, Florida, United States. ... Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania was originally founded as the Institute for Colored Youth in 1837 by Richard Humphreys. ... An All-America team is a sports team composed of star players. ...

NFL career

In 1984, Waters was signed as an undrafted free agent by Eagles head coach Marion Campbell. When Buddy Ryan took over for Campbell in 1986, he welcomed Waters' aggressive style as a fierce tackler and ferocious hitter, earning Waters a position in the starting lineup for the next eight years. He blossomed under Defensive Coordinator Bud Carson. Waters served as part of the Eagles' defensive unit that was regarded as one of the league's best, in 1991 ranking 1st statistically in both run and pass defense, as well as total defense. His hard-hitting style translated into leading the team in tackles for four seasons and endeared him with Philadelphia fans but often led to penalties and fines for some of his tackles. His tackle of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jim Everett in 1988 led to a rule prohibiting defensive players from hitting quarterbacks below the waist while they are still in the pocket; for a while, it was unofficially termed the "Andre Waters Rule". NFL broadcaster Dan Dierdorf notoriously nicknamed the Eagles defender "Dirty Waters". Marion Campbell (born 1929) is a former American football defensive lineman and Head Coach. ... Buddy Ryan (born James David Ryan on February 17, 1934) is a former American football coach. ... Leon H. Bud Carson (born April 28, 1931 in Brackenridge, Pennsylvania; died December 7, 2005 in Sarasota, Florida) was an American football coach best-known for his role on the Pittsburgh Steelers championship teams of the 1970s. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Navy quarterback Aaron Polanco sets up to throw. ... James Samuel Jim Everett III (born January 3, 1963 in Emporia, Kansas) is a former quarterback in the NFL. Everett attended Purdue University and was selected in the first round of the 1986 NFL Draft. ... Daniel Lee Dierdorf (b. ...

Playing career highlights

• Team leader in tackles in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1991.
• Recorded 15 interceptions in 156 games.
• Returned a kickoff for an 89-yard game-winning touchdown against the Washington Redskins as a rookie in 1984.
• Scored a touchdown in 1989 when he took a lateral from William Frizzell after Reggie White caused a fumble by New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms.

An interception or intercept is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, and involves a pass (either by foot or hand) being cut off by an opposition player who usually gains... A beginning: the kickoff of the project This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... A touchdown is the primary method of scoring in American and Canadian football, in which the ball carrier causes the football to break the plane of the end zone, or an eligible receiver catches a forward pass in the end zone, thus earning 6 points for his team (in both... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... In American football and Canadian football a lateral pass — usually called simply a lateral, but officially called a backward pass in American football, and also called an onside pass in Canadian football — is a sideways or rearward throwing of the football to a teammate. ... William Frizzell (born August 9, 1962 in Greenville, North Carolina) is a former American football defensive back who played for three teams in the NFL from 1984 to 1993. ... Reginald Howard Reggie White (December 19, 1961 – December 26, 2004) was a professional American football player. ... City East Rutherford, New Jersey Other nicknames Big Blue Wrecking Crew, Big Blue, G-Men, The Jints, The New York Football Giants Team colors Royal Blue, Red, Gray, and White Head Coach Tom Coughlin Owner John Mara (50%) and Steve Tisch (50%) General manager Jerry Reese League/Conference affiliations National... Phillip Martin Simms (born November 3, 1955, in Lebanon, Kentucky) is a former quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. ...

Retirement and death

After retiring as a player, he went on to enjoy success as a college coach at Morgan State, the University of South Florida, Alabama State, St. Augustine's College (Raleigh), and Fort Valley State University. He tried unsuccessfully to get a job in the NFL and described his disappointment to a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter in April 2006.^[1] He remained very close to his former Eagles coach Buddy Ryan who he said he tried to emulate in his own coaching career. Morgan State University, located in residential Baltimore, Maryland, awards Baccalaureate, Masters and Doctorate degrees. ... The University of South Florida (USF), known within its system as USF Tampa[1][2][3], is a public university system located in Tampa, Florida, USA, with an autonomous campus in St. ... Alabama State University, founded 1887, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ... For other schools/colleges of the same name, see St. ... Fort Valley State University (FVSU) is a historically black college and university (HBCU) located in Fort Valley, Georgia. ... The Philadelphia Inquirer is one of a two Knight Ridder newspaper duopoly daily for the Philadelphia area. ... Buddy Ryan (born James David Ryan on February 17, 1934) is a former American football coach. ...

Waters committed suicide shortly after 1 a.m. on November 20, 2006, according to the Hillsborough County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office, dying of a gunshot to the head. He was at his home in Tampa, Florida^[2] where he was found by his girlfriend. Rather than surrender to US soldiers, the Mayor (Bürgermeister) of Leipzig, Germany, committed suicide along with his wife and daughter on April 20, 1945. ... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hillsborough County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. ... Nickname: Location in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida. ...

An explanation for his suicide has remained a mystery. Shortly after Waters' death, former Harvard defensive tackle and WWE wrestler Christopher Nowinski, whose wrestling career was ended by post-concussion syndrome and has since written a book about the dangers of concussions in contact sports, approached Waters' family and asked permission to have his brain tissue examined. After receiving permission, Nowinski had samples of Waters' brain tissue sent to neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu at the University of Pittsburgh. After examining the tissue, Omalu claimed that Waters sustained brain damage from playing football that, he said, led to Waters' depression cited in a NY Times article.^[3] Harvard University (incorporated as The President and Fellows of Harvard College) is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA and a member of the Ivy League. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Post-concussion syndrome, also known as postconcussive syndrome or PCS, is a set of symptoms that a person may experience for weeks, months, or even years after a concussion, a mild form of traumatic brain injury. ... Concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), is the most common and least serious type of traumatic brain injury. ... The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related, doctoral/research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. ... Clinical depression (also called major depressive disorder, or unipolar depression when compared to bipolar disorder) is a state of intense sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individuals social functioning and/or activities of daily living. ...

Dr. Omalu determined that Waters' brain tissue had degenerated into that of an 85-year-old man with similar characteristics to those of early-stage Alzheimer's victims. Omalu said he believed that the damage was caused and/or hastened by the numerous concussions Waters sustained playing football. Additionally Omalu said that Waters would have been fully incapacitated within ten years.

The NFL declined to comment on Waters' case specifically. A member of the league's mild traumatic brain injury committee, Dr. Andrew Tucker, said that the NFL was beginning a study of retired players in 2006 to examine the more general issue of football concussions and subsequent depression.

References

1. ^ wsj.com, Eagles Fans Mourn Death of Andre Waters
2. ^ Thomasi McDonald. "Former NFL player, St. Aug's coach dies", News & Observer, 2006-11-20. Retrieved on 2006-11-20. 
3. ^ nytimes.com, "Expert Ties Ex-Player’s Suicide to Brain Damage"

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Cowboys CB Anthony Henry Mourning Death of Former Coach