Justin Strzelczyk
Encyclopedia
Justin Conrad Strzelczyk (August 18, 1968 - September 30, 2004) was a former American football
offensive lineman who played nine seasons in the NFL
, all for the Pittsburgh Steelers
from 1990
–1998
and helped the team gain a Super Bowl berth
. He can also be seen in the 1997 Adam Sandler
music video, "The Lonesome Kicker". There, Strzelczyk plays himself as he steals the kicker's "snow shoe" and taunts him throughout the video along with fellow Steeler teammates Jerome Bettis
, Greg Lloyd and Kordell Stewart
.
Strzelczyk was born in West Seneca, New York
. He attended West Seneca West Senior High School
, followed by the University of Maine
.
while driving 90 mi/h against the flow of traffic to evade capture by the police.
It was initially thought that Strzelczyk was under the influence of alcohol or drugs due to his irrational behavior, but this was disproved by toxicity tests. A post-mortem autopsy
revealed that he had suffered from brain damage, likely due to his years of playing football.
This incident helped to begin a debate about the seriousness of concussions at the June 2007 NFL
Summit. There, Bennet Omalu, a Pittsburgh neuropathologist, linked the deaths in recent years of four retired NFL players to brain damage from football. The cases involve former Philadelphia Eagles
safety Andre Waters
and three former Pittsburgh Steelers
offensive linemen: Mike Webster, Terry Long
and Strzelczyk. Waters and Long committed suicide; Webster died of a heart attack, but suffered from severe mental problems in his later life. Omalu says each death followed a similar line: football concussions, leading to brain damage similar to dementia pugilistica
(also known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in boxers
, leading to clinical depression
. It was previously thought to only exist in boxers and steeplechase
jockeys.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive lineman who played nine seasons in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, all for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
from 1990
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
–1998
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
and helped the team gain a Super Bowl berth
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
. He can also be seen in the 1997 Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
music video, "The Lonesome Kicker". There, Strzelczyk plays himself as he steals the kicker's "snow shoe" and taunts him throughout the video along with fellow Steeler teammates Jerome Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
, Greg Lloyd and Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart, nicknamed "Slash" , is a former American NFL quarterback. Stewart attended the University of Colorado and was drafted 60th in the 1995 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers...
.
Strzelczyk was born in West Seneca, New York
West Seneca, New York
West Seneca is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 44,711 at the 2010 census. West Seneca is a centrally-located interior town of the county, and a suburb of Buffalo...
. He attended West Seneca West Senior High School
West Seneca West Senior High School
West Seneca West Senior High is a public, co-educational high school in the West Seneca Central School District and serves grades nine through twelve in West Seneca, New York, United States...
, followed by the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
.
Death
He died in a car crash at the age of 36 in Herkimer, New York, when he hit a tank truckTank truck
A tank truck or road tanker is a motor vehicle designed to carry liquefied loads, dry bulk cargo or gases on roads. The largest such vehicles are similar to railroad tank cars which are also designed to carry liquefied loads...
while driving 90 mi/h against the flow of traffic to evade capture by the police.
It was initially thought that Strzelczyk was under the influence of alcohol or drugs due to his irrational behavior, but this was disproved by toxicity tests. A post-mortem autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
revealed that he had suffered from brain damage, likely due to his years of playing football.
This incident helped to begin a debate about the seriousness of concussions at the June 2007 NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Summit. There, Bennet Omalu, a Pittsburgh neuropathologist, linked the deaths in recent years of four retired NFL players to brain damage from football. The cases involve former Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
safety Andre Waters
Andre Waters
Andre Waters was an NFL defensive back 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...
and three former Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
offensive linemen: Mike Webster, Terry Long
Terry Long (American football)
Terry Long was a National Football League offensive lineman. He played from 1984–1991 for the Pittsburgh Steelers....
and Strzelczyk. Waters and Long committed suicide; Webster died of a heart attack, but suffered from severe mental problems in his later life. Omalu says each death followed a similar line: football concussions, leading to brain damage similar to dementia pugilistica
Dementia pugilistica
Dementia pugilistica is a type of neurodegenerative disease or dementia, which may affect amateur or professional boxers as well as athletes in other sports who suffer concussions...
(also known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in boxers
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, leading to clinical depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
. It was previously thought to only exist in boxers and steeplechase
Steeplechase
Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...
jockeys.