Controversial former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Randy Crowder has died at 72, with the announcement of his passing this week.
Crowder was selected in the sixth round of the 1974 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins and played for that team for two years before moving on to Tampa Bay, where he played for two more seasons through 1980.
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No immediate cause of death was given for Crowder.
Crowder made an unfortunate exit from the NFL for a season in between his time with the Dolphins and Buccaneers as he was arrested and jailed for a year for selling cocaine in May 1977.
Dolphins first-round pick and teammate Don Reese reportedly teamed to sell one pound of the substance – $233,000 worth nearly 50 years ago – to an undercover cop.
Crowder, after his official retirinement from the NFL in 1982, served as the defensive line coach at Penn State, his alma mater, working for his former head coach Joe Paterno.
Crowder had three children, with one of them, Channing Crowder, going on to have an NFL career of his own.
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Channing was a Dolphins third-round pick and he spent six seasons with the team as a linebacker. The Crowders are one of three father-son duos in Dolphins history, along with Rudy and Kantroy Barber, and Bob and Brian Griese … but Randy and Channing are the only father-son tandem to both be drafted by Miami.
Randy Crowder, who won All-American honors at Penn State, posted his finest season in 1975 with the Dolphins as he recorded a fumble recovery and 7.5 sacks, second most on the team. He would see the finish his NFL career with a total of 19 career sacks and three fumble recoveries.
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