Who was Shelby Jordan? Former Patriots star and Super Bowl champion dies at 70 

NFL fans were greeted on Saturday with the sad news that former player Shelby Jordan had passed away at the age of 70. Shelby Jordan played in the NFL as an offensive tackle for the New England Patriots from 1975 to 1982 and the Los Angeles Raiders from 1983 to 1986. With the latter, he won Super Bowl XVIII.

But beyond his exploits on the field, Shelby Jordan was so much more than just another NFL player.

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Shelby Jordan's life a testament to overcoming odds

Shelby Jordan was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and started his football career at Washington University. Initially, there was no inkling that he would eventually become an inductee in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. To date, he remains the only player from Washington University to have been inducted. In school, at the East St. Louis High School in Illinois, he was a 5'10" 180 lb sophomore who blossomed into a 6'7" 270 lb behemoth in college.

His toughness was borne out of his upbringing that saw him work in a mattress factory when he was 14, pushing mold into the furnace. When he became part of the Washington University football team, his schedule included going and washing dishes at the hospital at 5 a.m., practicing in the afternoon, and attending classes at night. He would ultimately graduate with a degree in psychology.

His perseverance paid off as he was selected by the Houston Oilers in the 1973 NFL Draft in the seventh round. He failed to come to terms with the team and was released and went to work for Service Merchandise. When he was posted to Tennessee, football teams kept calling and he eventually signed for the New England Patriots.

However, he was arrested in 1975 for possession of cocaine and was sentenced to two years in prison, causing him to miss the entire 1976 season. He returned for the 1977 season and eventually left the team in 1983 to sign with the Raiders, where he won the Super Bowl during his first season there.

After his retirement, he became involved in causes related to affordable urban housing with his wife Donzella. His efforts were recognized by the National Football Foundation and he received numerous awards for his work in the community.

All of us at Sportskeeda would like to extend our condolences to Shelby Jordan's loved ones during this difficult time.