That`s bad. You have permission to edit this article. In 1986, Fralic was one of six football players in the twenty-man battle royal at WrestleMania 2, in which Andre the Giant was the victor. The Falcons selected Fralic with the second overall pick in the 1985 draft. https://t.co . PITTSBURGH (AP) Bill Fralic, the burly, bruising and athletic offensive lineman who starred for the Atlanta Falcons and was a three-time All-American at Pittsburgh, has died. ''Some of those women sprinters look like men. Bill Fralic, a former Falcons first-round pick out of Pitt, has died at 56 after a battle with cancer. Those kind only pass through once.". Professional Football Player. Then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., called Fralics testimony refreshing and believable, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Also, when artificially enhanced players run into other players on the football field, there is more chance of injury. Bill Fralic, one of the greatest football players in Pitt history who went on to an All-Pro career in the NFL, died Thursday after a battle with cancer, the university said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, ''I just know a lot of people are using them,'' Fralic said. He was 56 years old. Former NFL great Bill Fralic, one of the first players to speak openly about the pervasiveness of performance-enhancing drugs in sports, died Thursday from cancer, the University of Pittsburgh announced. Fralic's collegiate career led to the phrase Pancake Block being added to the football lexicon. At the end of his NFL career, Fralic was one of the first players to take advantage of the new free agent system and jumped from the Falcons to the Detroit Lions, almost doubling his pay to $1.6 million for the 1993 season. From a teammate standpoint, he and I had many of beer together, said Archer, who currently is the Falcons color analyst on radio. He had a great smile and a great laugh. The 49ers won the game, 19-13. Penn Hills football team players and coaches hold up a sign dedicated to Bill Fralic a Penn Hills alum and NFL Hall of Fame player who died Thursday of cancer during the Penn Hills football team . Readers of the Pennsylvania Football News named him to the "All Century" team of Pennsylvania high school football players. To hear his coaches tell it, Fralic was a. RIP, my man., Arthur Blank, owner and chairman of the Falcons, called Fralic a cornerstone of the team and said we will always be grateful for the impact he made here in Atlanta., Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, who played his rookie season with the Falcons before being traded to the Green Bay Packers, called Fralic a great teammate but even better guy and the toughest dude you could ever know.. Fiorentina captain Davide Astori, a defender who has also been capped by Italy 14 times, has died, the club NEW YORK Lucie Brock-Broido, a prize-winning poet and educator, has died at age 61. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195344131/bill-fralic. Western Pennsylvania football legend Bill Fralic passed away on Thursday following a long bout with cancer. When the 1985 draft came, the Falcons desperately wanted Fralic and traded up two spots with Minnesota to get him. Thanks for your help! Fralic was the second player taken overall in the 1985 draft and had a nine-year career with the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions. Bill Fralic, the burly, bruising and athletic offensive lineman who starred for the Atlanta Falcons and was a three-time All-American at Pittsburgh, has died. Covert is 6-4, 280. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Fralic died at the age of 56 on December 13, 2018 from cancer. D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq is the award-winning Atlanta Falcons beat writer for the newspaper, has been on the staff since 2003. "Bill is truly one of the iconic figures in the history of Pitt athletics," Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke said in a statement. BILL NEAL:10It is with great respect, regret and sympathy that I mention the passing of the legendary Bill Fralicquite possibly the greatest and most accomplished athlete in Penn Hills history.Mr. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Bill Fralic, a four-time NFL Pro Bowl winner, and a competitor in WrestleMania 2's 20-man WWF vs. NFL Battle Royal, has died following a battle with cancer. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. He started immediately at right guard and went to four Pro Bowls and was twice named to the All-Pro team. Try again later. He was our friend, our teammate, our brother, said the Penn Hills football program in a statement posted to Twitter. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. He had been battling cancer. He was 56. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Please try again later. During his years in the NFL, Fralic was named first-team All-Pro in 1986 and 1987. Fralic was a three-time All-American offensive lineman at Pittsburgh. Memorial arrangements will be announced at a later date. Fralic was on the 1991 Falcons team that finished the regular season 10-6, Atlanta parents say trip to state soccer finals marred by racial slurs, Seeing is believing: Stars and styles from tonight's Met Gala, No, a bionic bordello isnt coming to rural Georgia, Braves star Ronald Acua Jr. day to day after exiting game with left shoulder contusion, Mistrial over murder charge for defendant accused in Gwinnett teens death, Falcons sign six undrafted free agents in eighth round, What Falcons NFC South rivals did in 2023 NFL draft, Falcons updated post-draft depth chart: Rookies go to back of the line. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Some of the earliest evidence of cancer is found among fossilized bone tumors, human mummies in ancient Egypt, and ancient manuscripts. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Bill Fralic, the burly, bruising and athletic offensive lineman who starred for the Atlanta Falcons and was a three-time All-American at Pittsburgh, has died. We were tight, Mortensen said on Twitter. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Fiorentina captain Astori found dead aged 31 before match. Fralic attended the University of Pittsburgh and was a three-time All-American, gaining inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, was said to have found Fralic's testimony "refreshing and believable. When are the 2023 college graduation ceremonies in Georgia. Defensive end Howie Long of the Los Angeles Raiders estimated in a Sports Illustrated article that 50 percent of the big men in football are on steroids. He was known for the 'Pancake Block' which was termed for the way he would flatten his opponents when blocking. Penn Hills Athletic Director Stephanie Strauss said the team would have been unable to stay in Hershey if not for Fralics donation. Subscribe to Pittsburgh Patch for more local news and real-time alerts. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Though he was hampered by injuries, he built a reputation as a great run blocker and despite the Falcons struggling during those years, he played on some very good offensive lines with Jeff Van Note, Jamie Dukes, Chris Hinton, John Scully and Mike Kenn. Pitt publicists used Pancakes as a statistical barometer for each time Fralic put an opposing defensive lineman on his back. With them, they might just be normal players. "Bill Fralic is the best," Joe Moore, who worked as Pitt's offensive line coach during Fralic's career, once said. Information from Channel 2's Cox Media Group sister station WPXI-TV and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was used in this report. He also became a WPIAL heavyweight wrestling champion for the Indians, compiling a 98-7 record on the mat. During his football career, he was also known for his couple of appearances in the World Wrestling Entertainment. Scientists have learned more about cancer in the last 2 decades than . While at Pitt, he played offensive tackle for the Panthers and was named a consensus All-American his junior and senior seasons. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Verify and try again. William P. Fralic Jr. ( / frelk / FRAY-lik [1]) (October 31, 1962 - December 13, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a guard for the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) from 1985 to 1993. Off the gridiron, Fralic appeared in Wrestlemania 2 and was a color commentator for Falcons broadcasts from 1995 to 1997 and Pittsburgh Panthers broadcasts from 2004 to 2010. Fralic is 6 feet 5 inches and 280 pounds. The Penn Hills native was a two-time All American. Taken second overall in the draft that year, Fralic became a stalwart and unquestioned leader of the Falcons from 1985 to 1992 before finishing his career in Detroit after one season. They just don`t think it is right to use them. Bill Fralic, a 1998 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from the University of Pittsburgh, passed away Dec. 13 following a battle with cancer. Fralic was named the male high school athlete of the year by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.[2]. Fralic was a four-year starter at Pitt and was a three-time first team All-American. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Fralic grew up in suburban Pittsburgh, starring at Penn Hill High School before joining the hometown Panthers. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. The ''long-term effects'' argument doesn`t scare Fralic. In Atlanta, the coaches always preached that we wanted to be tough on defense and intimidate people, Fralic said at the time. The Falcons went 27-67-1 during Fralic's first six seasons before finally reaching the playoffs in 1991. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. And they always talked about how we wanted to be tough on special teams. ''Under proper supervision, doctors test the blood and monitor the body closely. Bill Fralic was not only an all-time player at the University of Pittsburgh, but also an all-time human being, Pitt football coachPat Narduzzisaid in a statement. 1980s - *OL Bill Fralic said he used steroids in college at Pitt. PITTSBURGH Former University of Pittsburgh and Penn Hills football star Bill Fralic has died at age 56 after a battle with cancer. ''Let him (Fralic) get into you and he`s gonna kill you,'' McMichael said. Both say they don`t now. Resend Activation Email. ''It just bothered my conscience,'' Fralic said. He also advocated for more random drug testing in football. He was 56. He was also a member of the inaugural Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame class that was enshrined this past September. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. It is with a truly heavy heart & deep sadness that we have learned of the passing of our friend, Bill Fralic. Tell their story, and publish it online for free. He also was named to the Pro Bowl four times from 1986 to 1989 and to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Fralic was in the news just a week ago, when it was revealed he had paid for hotel rooms for the Penn Hills Indians football team and coaches in Hershey, where the Indians were competing in the PIAA Class AAAAA championship game. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Former Vice-President Joe Biden, then chairman of the committee, lauded Fralic's candour. "Bill Fralic was not only an all-time player at the University of Pittsburgh, but also an all-time human being," Pitt football coach Pat Narduzzi said in a statement. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. (Michael M. Santiago/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP). FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2015, file photo, Bill Fralic watches a news conference in Pittsburgh. As good as he was on the field, he was also very outspoken off it and in 1989 testified in a U.S. Senate hearing about the rampant use of steroids in the NFL, pushing for stricter testing. He reached out to me immediately about steroids issue. Fralic also did radio analyst work for the Falcons and Pitt football. The 1989 action figure of Fralic, from the Starting Lineup Kenner toy line, is the 'Holy Grail' for collectors. ranked Fralic as one of the top 50 Falcons of all time. If you're unsure of how to do this, click here for a quick guide. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). I don`t want to jeopardize my body.''. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. I enjoyed being around him, said David Archer, who was the Falcons quarterback during Fralics first three years with the team. Bill Fralic has passed, the great Pitt offensive lineman. He was 56. Your inbox approves RB rises, DT falls The power . 2 pick in the 1985 NFL draft and a four-time Pro Bowler, passed away Thursday after a fight with cancer. Covert wants to emphasize that the use of steroids and other performance- enhancing drugs is not limited to the world of football. Fill in some information about your loved one, and we'll generate some text that you can use as a starting point for your online memorial. Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. This year, they should play on the same team again: the National Conference squad in the Pro Bowl. While with the Falcons, he made the Pro Bowl four times (1986-1989), was a First-team All-Pro twice (1986 and 1987), and was a Second-team All-Pro in 1988. Fralic was a color commentator for Falcons radio broadcasts from 1995 to 1997, and commentated Pittsburgh Panther broadcasts from 2004 to 2010. Bill Fralic was not only an all-time player at the University of Pittsburgh, but also an all-time human being, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. "Bill Fralic was not only an all-time player at the University of Pittsburgh, but also an all-time human being," Pitt football coach Pat Narduzzi said. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. Long-term health risks are another argument against steroids. ''As I read the papers, Rozelle didn`t mention he was going to deal with steroids,'' Fralic said. Or, he`ll drive a defensive tackle or nose guard 10 yards down the field.''. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? The school said Fralic had cancer and died Thursday at his home in suburban Atlanta. Fralic was the first offensive lineman to finish in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy balloting finishing eighth . That`s pretty impressive. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. All Rights Reserved. Early years Welcome to the TribLIVE.com California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) landing page. . He also became a WPIAL heavyweight wrestling champion for the Indians, compiling a 98-7 record, according to Pitt. "Our football fraternity lost a great one," tweeted former NFL defensive lineman Tony Casillas, a teammate of Fralic's from 1986-89 before later facing Fralic while playing for Dallas. Covert, the Bears` left offensive tackle, and Fralic, the Atlanta Falcons` right guard, are at the top of their profession. If you keep getting redirected to this page, please enable cookies. Chance of precip 100%.. Cloudy with rain and snow this evening, becoming all snow overnight. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. PITTSBURGH Bill Fralic, the burly, bruising and athletic offensive lineman who starred for the Atlanta Falcons and was a three-time All-American at Pittsburgh, has died. The school said Fralic had cancer and died Thursday at his home in suburban Atlanta. Drag images here or select from your computer for Bill Fralic memorial. He was 56. He set a tremendous standard for our current generation of student-athletes, not only as an athlete but also for what he went on to accomplish once his playing days concluded. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it became more acceptable for doctors to dissect bodies to discover the cause of death. By Fox Doucette December 14, 2018 at 2:04pm. Sorry! Those kind only pass through once.". Weve updated the security on the site. He was a very intense guy when it came to game day. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Bill Fralic (195344131)? To use this feature, use a newer browser. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell /Allsport. + Caption. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Penn Hills defeated Manheim Central36-31 to win the PIAA Class 5A championship. based on information from your browser. PITTSBURGH (AP) Big, tough, and athletic football great for the Falcons succumbs to Cancer. ''They`re made to get people who are anemic out of hospitals,'' Fralic said. Fralic's playing career ended after the 1993 season with the Detroit Lions. The parade celebrating the teams undefeated season and 5A State Title also included the Penn Hills HS Hometown High Q debate team and W.P.I.A.L. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers . 79 at halftime of his final home game in 1984. Atlanta selected Fralic with the second overall pick in the 1985 draft. 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. They also are big enough to discourage votes against them. He was a good guy that loved to laugh. He was 56. I've been privileged to coach some good ones here, but none better than Bill Fralic. A lot of guys would give away the joke, but Bill was really good at keeping the poker face. WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta facebook feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta twitter feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta instagram feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta youtube feed(Opens a new window), DeKalb officer killed in the line of duty had been with department less than 2 years, As probe closes in, President Trump distances himself from Michael Cohen, 24-year-old woman was lured to busy walking trail before death, police say. Make sure that the file is a photo. The 49ers won 19-13. Fralic was the first offensive lineman to finish in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy balloting finishing eighth in 1983 and sixth in 1984. He briefly returned to the World Wrestling Federation on July 4, 1993, to participate in the Stars and Stripes Challenge aboard the USSIntrepid, trying to bodyslam the 550-pound WWF champion, Yokozuna. Amanda Filipcic-Godsey is a freelance writer in Pittsburgh. It was like, Well, we're just going to beat people with our (offensive) talent. We didn't go out on the field to prove that we were the tougher offense. I was covering (the) Falcons when he was the No. Published: Dec 14, 2018 at 06:11 AM. Failed to delete memorial. ''I took them for a year in college. Fralic helped pave the way for running back Gerald Riggs and protected quarterbacks Chris Miller and current Falcons color analyst Dave Archer. Johnstown Magazine is a positive and forward-thinking monthly publication for the people of our region. Fralic went on to be named All-Pro in 1986 and 1987, and was named to the Pro Bowl from 1986 to 1989. Fralic was the first sophomore to letter in football at Penn Hills High School. This is the delicate dance of countless brain cancer surgeries slicing out enough of the bulky tumor without slashing away healthy tissue. Fralics No. The school announced that Fralic, who was 56, died after a long battle with cancer. They made me bigger and stronger. PITTSBURGH, PA - Former University of Pittsburgh and NFL star Bill Fralic has died at the age of 56. In his first in-depth interview after leaving the Falcons via free agency in 1992, with Len Pasquarelli of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he conceded that financial considerations - the three-year, $5.4 million contract with the Lions made him the highest-paid offensive guard in NFL history - were a major part of his decision to end his eight-year tenure with the Falcons. Current Atlanta owner Arthur Blank called Fralic a "cornerstone" of the franchise, adding "he was a beloved Falcon, and we will always be grateful for the impact he made here in Atlanta.". Fralics tenure with the Falcons did not end well. He loved to play little jokes on guys.. Fralic made headlines last week, when he paid for the Penn Hills football team's hotel rooms for its state championship game in Hershey. Learn more about managing a memorial . If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Steroids are not condoned by the league, but they are not illegal unless obtained without a prescription. Publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced Wednesday that Brock-Broido died Tuesday at ATLANTA Former U.S. Sen. Zell Miller, a lifelong Democrat and the father of Georgia's lottery-funded HOPE scholarship while serving as governor, died Friday. Thats kind of the way he played, too.. Fralic was a . Our deepest sympathies to his wife, Susan, and his many loved ones and friends., Fellow Pitt legend Dan Marino, who played with Fralic from 1981-1983, called him a true friend on and off the field.. Fralic admitted he had used performance-enhancing drugs while at Pitt, but he was determined to get them out of the NFL. Every day D. Orlando strives to provide inside in the Falcons and the NFL. Try again later. He was also very involved with fund-raising for rescuing English Bulldogs. He spent nine seasons in the league, including eight as a fixture with the Falcons. His dominance on the offensive line led to the term pancake block first being used, as publicists at Pitt started using the term as a statistic to describe Fralic putting an opposing defensive lineman on his back. Fralic and Covert shun steroids for another reason. [7], Fralic had an unusual provision in his first contract with the Falcons that guaranteed that the team would pay him $150,000 per year for 40 years, even after he was no longer with the Falcons and his playing career was over. For as hulking a figure as he was, Billy was even larger in his kindness and passion for others.". Bony skull destruction as seen in cancer of the head and neck has been found, too. Fralic never forgot his roots, footing the hotel bill for the Penn Hills football team last week when the Indians travelled to Hershey, Pennsylvania, to play in the Class 5 A state title game, which they won. He had cancer and died Thursday at his home in suburban Atlanta, the university said. The NFL placed him on its All-Decade Team for the 1980s. He later told U.S. Senate committee that as much as 75 percent of NFL linebackers, linemen and tight ends have used steroids . Fralic is 6 feet 5 inches and 280 pounds. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He passed away after a long bout with cancer. Try our free interactive obituary template. That's the best way to describe Fralic, a larger-than-life legend who died at age 56 Thursday after a long battle with a rare, incurable cancer. Fralic knew how to carry out his pranks, too. He was 56-years-old. Author of the pancake block and an Atlanta Falcons all-time great, Bill Fralic, a nine-year NFL veteran who was twice voted a first-team All-Pro, died Thursday . For me, given the way I play, that was hard to reconcile.. Then the dude would never knew who did it because Bill wouldnt give him any indication that he was the guy who did it.. Our hearts and prayers are with his wife, Susan, and all of his loved ones.. William P. Fralic Jr. (/frelk/ FRAY-lik[1]) (October 31, 1962 December 13, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a guard for the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) from 1985 to 1993.