NFL Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey dies at age 69

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

Pro football Hall of Famer John Mackey, who helped revolutionize the tight end position as an offensive weapon, died late Wednesday according to ESPN reports. He was 69 and had suffered from dementia for years.

Mackey played 10 seasons for the Baltimore Colts and San Diego Chargers, catching 331 passes for 5,236 yards and 38 touchdowns. As president of the NFL Players Association after the AFL-NFL merger, he fought to improve players' pension benefits and access to free agency.

Enshrined in 1992, Mackey was the second tight end elected to the Hall of Fame. He played in five Pro Bowls and was named All-NFL at his position three times.

In a statement posted by NFL spokesman Greg Aiello on Twitter, commissioner Roger Goodell called Mackey "one of the great leaders in NFL history, on and off the field."

Drafted in 1963 from Syracuse, the 6-foot-2, 224-pounder brought the added dimension of speed to the tight end position, forcing defenses to account for him not only as a blocker but as a breakaway threat.

Syracuse named Mackey to its All-Century team in 1999 and retired his No. 88 in 2007. His legacy is remembered yearly when the John Mackey Award is bestowed upon the player deemed college football's best tight end.

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