Stephen Gregory White (October 25, 1973 – August 30, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets in the National Football League (NFL). He was later a football blogger for SB Nation.
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | October 25, 1973 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Died: | August 30, 2022 (aged 48) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Westwood (Memphis, Tennessee) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Tennessee | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1996 / round: 6 / pick: 194 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Playing career
editWhite attended Westwood High School in Memphis, Tennessee, and played for the school's football team as a linebacker.[1] He enrolled at the University of Tennessee, where he played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers from 1992 to 1995 as a defensive end.[1][2] He played in 40 games for the Volunteers, starting 21 games at right defensive end.[1][3] White recorded 105 tackles, 20 sacks, and forced six fumbles with Tennessee.[1]
The Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) selected White in the sixth round of the 1996 NFL draft.[4][2] The Eagles wanted White to play as a linebacker and had him lose 20 pounds (9.1 kg).[3] The Eagles cut White before the start of the 1996 NFL season[5] and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him to their practice squad.[6] The Buccaneers signed him as a defensive end and asked him to gain the 20 pounds back.[3]
In October 1996, Tampa Bay signed White to their active roster.[7] He was a backup in his first three seasons.[2] In the 1998 season, an injury to Chidi Ahanotu required White to backup Tyoka Jackson at left defensive end, though he typically had played on the right side.[1] White beat out Regan Upshaw to become a starting defensive end for the Buccaneers in 1999. He started 13 games that season.[3] In the 1999 playoffs, he recorded seven tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble.[2] White lost his starting job to Marcus Jones the next season, and recorded five sacks as a substitute, alternating with Jones and Simeon Rice.[3] White signed with the New York Jets before the 2002 season.[8] He played as a backup and was waived in February 2003.[9] In his NFL career, White played in 94 games, starting 15 games. He started 13 of those games during the 1999 season.[10] He retired with 119 tackles and 11.5 sacks.[2]
Later life
editAfter his playing career, White was an assistant coach for the University of South Florida for one year.[2] He wrote about the NFL for SB Nation from 2013 to 2020.[11]
White lived in Tampa, Florida, after his career. He was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2014 and he received a bone marrow transplant at the Moffitt Cancer Center in April 2022. He died on August 30, 2022, at the age of 48.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "17 Oct 1998, 46 – Tampa Bay Times". Newspapers.com. October 17, 1998. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Munz, Jason (August 31, 2022). "Steve White dies: Tennessee football star, Buccaneers, Jets DL was 48". Commercial Appeal. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Mills, Roger (January 12, 2002). "High Profile: Steve White". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "1996 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ "21 Aug 1996, 15 – The York Dispatch". Newspapers.com. August 21, 1996. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "28 Aug 1996, 80 – Fort Worth Star-Telegram". Newspapers.com. August 28, 1996. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "16 Oct 1996, Page 38 – Arizona Republic". Newspapers.com. October 16, 1996. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "8 Mar 2002, 38 – The Herald-News". Newspapers.com. March 8, 2002. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "21 Feb 2003, Page 36 – The Journal News". Newspapers.com. February 21, 2003. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ "Ex-Bucs lineman Steve White dies at age 48". ESPN.com. August 31, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ^ Coleman, Madeline (August 31, 2022). "Former Vols, Bucs Defensive Lineman Steve White Dies at 48 – Sports Illustrated". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Stroud, Rick (August 31, 2022). "Former Bucs defensive end Steve White dies at age 48". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved August 31, 2022.