7 NFL Players Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice

Ruey Young Bussey

Bussey was a quarterback who was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1940. He enlisted in the military the day after the 1942 All-Star game. He was said to have predicted his own demise. Bussey’s landing craft got stuck on a reef in the Philippines and was struck by a Japanese mortar. He was last seen signaling his men to take cover. While many Bears’ players have served in the military, Lt. Bussey was the only one to have died in war.

Al Blozis

Blozis was drafted as an offensive tackle by the New York Giants in 1942. In addition to being a giant of his time (6’5″, 250 lbs), he was a very persuasive individual. He persuaded the army to let him enlist despite being over the size limit. While at officer training school, he broke the record for the grenade toss at over 94 yards. After being assigned to desk duty, he talked them into letting him fight on the front lines. After going alone in search of two of his platoon’s missing soldiers in France, 2nd Lt. Blozis never returned.

Howard White “Smiley” Johnson

Johnson was a gifted multi-sport athlete who played college football for Georgia and was playing for the Green Bay Packers in 1940-41. He joined the Marine Corps a week after hearing of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Johnson was awarded his first Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in Kwajalein, Saipan. After being hit by Mortar fragments in Iwo Jima and insisting his wounded men were treated first, he then succumbed to his injuries. Soon after, Maj. Johnson was awarded a second Silver Star for bravery posthumously.

Andrew Jackson Lummus Jr.

Lummus was perhaps the most famous of the fallen NFL warriors. He made the New York Giants roster as a free agent defensive end. Lummus played nine games as a Giant before enlisting in the Marine Corps reserve in January of 1942 but wouldn’t see battle until 1944 at Iwo Jima. He was among the first soldiers to arrive and was eventually given command of a rifle platoon. The platoon was halted by pillbox installations filled with Japanese soldiers which stood in the way of the attack. Even while wounded, Lummus took out three different pillbox installations and all the occupants by himself, after which he stepped on a landmine and was mortally wounded. Appropriately, 1st Lt. Lummus Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor for his selfless actions.

Vietnam and Beyond

Don Steinbrunner

Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 1953 NFL draft. He enlisted in ROTC while in college and stayed on with the Air Force after fulfilling his duties. Steinbrunner’s plane, a C-123 Provider, was shot down in 1967. He was finally recognized by the Browns organization in 2004 as the first NFL player who lost his life in the Vietnam War. Maj. Steinbrunner was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Air Medal First Through Fourth Oak Leaf Cluster as well as the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Bob Kalsu

Kalsu was an All-American tackle who played for the Oklahoma Sooners when he was selected in the eighth round by the Buffalo Bills in the 1968 NFL draft. He arrived in Vietnam as part of the 101st Airborne Division in 1969. During the 23-day Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord, his unit came under mortar fire. The exact circumstances of his death remain unclear due to the family reportedly being unwilling to discuss them publicly.

Pat Tillman

Tillman played college football for ASU and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the NFL draft. He didn’t let that slow him down and worked his way up to become the team’s starting safety. In 2000, he broke the franchise tackle record with 224. He famously joined the army soon after the attacks on 9/11 and refused to speak about it with the media. Tillman served tours in Iraq before heading to Afghanistan. It was there, under attack, where he bravely led his troops into cover before tragically meeting his fate by way of fratricide.