(Zac Budman/ESPN), Marty Burlsworth, brother of the late Brandon Burlsworth, is interviewed. The magazine did an extensive eight-page piece on him. A UT win would mean the Vols national title hopes would stay alive. Our opponents are set! Marty Burlsworth, Chairman/CEO and founder of the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, is a resident of Harrison, Arkansas. Brandon, Marty's younger brother by 16 years, was tragically killed in an auto accident on April 28, 1999 . As recorded on the Colts official website, Burlsworth was driving home to Harrison, Arkansas in April 1999; he wanted to head home, have dinner with his mother, Barbara, and attend a Wednesday night church service. The lineman, however, would never arrive. Named an All-American in 1998, he was drafted in 1999 by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round 11 days before being killed in a vehicular accident. He declined both, insisting instead on joining the Razorbacks as a walk-on. I was high as a kite. Unfortunately, Brandon was tragically killed in a head-on automobile collision just 11 days after the draft." Literally. His truck collided with an approaching 18-wheeler causing him to veer into his lane then he crashed with another tractor-trailer head-on. All Martin had to do was hand the ball off to running back Travis Henry. "Brandon Burlsworth was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the 63rd overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft. Theyd risen to No. He said that the message spoke of the joy of living everyday life and asked big questions, making it a powerful story. Organizations and businesses prepare for Valentines Gov. INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts on Sunday remembered Brandon Burlsworth, the team's third-round draft pick who died in a traffic crash before he could take his place in their offensive line. He never got there, dying in. As a part of the program, the Colts will hire a Dungy Fellow for the offense and the defense. Accordingly, I was thrilled to get him.". He was drafted 59 spots after Edgerrin James and with the notion to help fortify an offense that already had young stars in Marvin Harrison and Peyton Manning. I promise you that ball seemed like it was there for 5 or 6 seconds.. Powered by ThinkWeb, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION'S STUDENT MEDIA NETWORK AT HARDING UNIVERSITY, Faith, Trust and Character: The Life and Legacy of Brandon Burlsworth, Three players lead softball team to terrific start, Track construction nearly complete, ready to host, 22 teams compete in annual pickle ball tournament, Womens and mens tennis teams push through season, Bison baseball kicks off season with five straight wins, Harding softball begins season in Louisiana, Ambassador discusses efforts against human trafficking. Rivers and Steichen worked together with the Chargers, while Turner gave Steichen his first opportunity in the NFL. HARRISON For one more Saturday, Brandon Burlsworth was with his Arkansas football teammates and coaches and surrounded by family and friends. While Ratliffs NFL future was never a realistic option because of his myriad injuries, Burlsworth had an incredibly bright future ahead of him. There is a much deeper message here. Departments offer new classes across campus, Student Association hosts first birthday bash. Brandon Burlsworth was killed in a car accident on April 28th, 1999 while driving back to his hometown when he was near Alpena, Arkansas he got involved in the accident and died on the spot. Miranda Valles, 21, died in a motorcycle accident over the weekend on I-290. Certainly, football was immensely important to Brandon, but it was his character and the relationship he had with God that defined who Brandon Burlsworth really was. 77 retired. Ratliff saw both luck and destiny in the play that would make him a Tennessee football folk hero. Burlsworth 22 a third round draft pick of the indianapolis colts on april 17 was driving on us. Among the past recipients: Cleveland Browns star and former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and Hunter Renfrow, a recent Clemson standout receiver now in his rookie year with the Oakland Raiders. Hewalked on at Arkansas in 1994 after having zero FBS scholarship offers and eventually became team captain and a two-time All-SEC pick. We dont have to understand it -- BUT we do have the choice of how we react to it. Thats one of those that I would have loved to have seen his career if he had not been injured. It was odd that Arkansas coach Houston Nutt didnt just run the football instead of calling a bootleg that allowed Ratliff to make his historic play. It was a tough situation. Sports betting in Tennessee officially launched on November 1, 2020, and many of the largest sportsbooks are live and operating in the volunteer state. He died in a car crash on april 28 1999 shortly after he was drafted by the nfls indianapolis colts. There was only one problem. "He listened, then just did it," said Tice. The accident occurred near Alpena, Arkansas, while returning to his old neighborhood. Im not sure what coach Nutt was thinking about, Ratliff said. Marty Burlsworth remembers the day Brian Reindl came to Harrison to pitch his idea of making a movie about the life of Burlsworth's late brother, Brandon. Brandon's family established an establishment in 1999 to respect him. (NWA Media). You like to see those kinds of things happen in sports. MB: Shortly after the accident, we got a call from a national magazine. As UTs defense tried to hold on, quarterback Tee Martin and UT offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe were devising a drive in which theyd have very little time left if they got the ball back at all. We dont know why, but we do know that we will see him again. Tee came off the field and Billy told him, Hey man, dont put your helmet away. After his time at the University of Arkansas ended, Brandon Burlsworth seemed poised to realize his NFL dreams. To be of the offensive line Brandon took a risk and walked on 1994! I think the movie speaks to people in many different ways, Reindl said. During his junior and senior years, his work ethic and focus really kicked in. Before I leave the remarkable legacy of Harrison's Brandon Burlsworth and the film of his life called Greater, now showing in nearly 400 theaters across America, I want to share a few back-story notes about the 22-year-old Razorback All-American who died in a tragic traffic accident on April 28, 1999. 20 college football teams we aren't sold on in 2023, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Mizzou shocks Tennessee, Alabama downs Auburn and more, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Alabama stays unbeaten in SEC play, Tennessee outlasts Auburn and more, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: A new top team emerges, Alabama loses in blowout fashion, Mizzou lights it up again. That wouldnt be the case. After an exhaustive, deliberate process, Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard were in agreement: Shane Steichen was the top candidate for the team's head coaching position. "I took the player's helmet and put it on," said Tice. MB: Our agreement was that the family could object if we felt something was not portrayed in the right manner. After Burslworths death, those close to him created the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation; according to the foundations website, the Christian organizations mission is to support the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those who have limited opportunities. Among UT fans, his name is synonymous with the Arkansas fumble. (Zac Budman/ESPN), The Burlsworth Award trophy (Zac Budman/ESPN), Ruettiger, the famed former Notre Dame football walk-on], ESPN Producer Michelle Rosenhouse Makes the Most of Memorable Moments, Journalism Showcase: SC Featured Highlights Cheyney States Remarkable 1982 Womens Basketball Team, Inside ESPN Marketings XFL Spot Bring It In, Journalism Showcase: SportsCenter Reporter Dives Into Growth of Girls Youth Flag Football. https://t.co/Ny448gVZWB, A really cool story by @ADavidHaleJoint on @GeorgiaTechFBs @pharvin27 and his role as a groundbreaker and an inspiration to other young punters. When I told him to come at me full force to demonstrate my lesson about blocking, Brandon knocked me flat on my back, leaving me dazed for several seconds.". Burlsworth was killed 15 miles from home on a road he had traveled for years when his car drifted into the on coming lane. Carrolton ap former arkansas offensive guard brandon burlsworth died in a car crash as he headed home to harrison from fayetteville officials said. Turns out, that conversation was all for naught thanks to Billy Ratliff. know it would happen, but Brandon knew all his life that God had placed His hand upon him and that he would be nowhere without God. "If God ever made the perfect person, it was that guy," said then teammate Sacha Lancaster to Sport Illustrated. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Q: I remember hearing how as a high school sophomore that Brandon didnt look anything like a future SEC player. by Clay Henry | August 27, 2016 at 1:00 a.m. Arkansas' Brandon Burlsworth tells a story to teammates before the beginning of practice at Thunder Field on Dec. 30, 1998 . Brandon burlsworths first act as a wealthy nfl offensive tackle was going to be to buy himself a bigger. Hollywood keeps making movies about superheroes and people who arent heroes at all, but here is a real life hero that my kids can look up to.. 'Burls Kids' is a program where youngsters attend Colts and Razorbacks games, and the foundation conducts camps and prep football awards. Billy Ratliff was right next to me, Wilson said. After minicamp, he was projected by his coaches to start as a rookie. But there was a film made about it and there were a lot of articles about it. Sow with thought, you reap in action. There were times when he was almost late to games because he would never turn a kid down for an autograph or anything.. Family members have attended one home game annually to this day. Their affinity for the franchise has been a constant. "I couldn't stop talking to my wife about how impressive he was and what a bright future he had.". Thats where things were headed as Arkansas quarterback Clint Stoerner lined up under center on second down with just 1:47 left on the clock. Mock Draft Monday, our weekly roundup of experts' predictions for who the Colts will take in the NFL Draft, is back a week after the Colts named Shane Steichen head coach. Two collisions followed, and the life of a wonderful human with vast talents was over., Jerry Jones Had a Number of Hall of Fame Teammates and Coaches at Arkansas, Including Jimmy Johnson. Brandon was very undersized as a freshman and sophomore, a skinny kid. Among UT fans, his name is synonymous with the Arkansas fumble and what it meant to UTs 1998 season. He had absolutely no quit in him. "We got to know a lot of Colts personnel at training camp. Through the years, we have stayed close.". Cast [ edit] Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these. Midnight Madness kicks off basketball season, Social clubs prepare for Homecoming Parade, James Huff receives another research grant. Brandon Burlsworth died from a car accident just eleven days after being drafted. Brandon Burlsworth, Indianapolis Colts. From @RazorbackFB walk-on to All-American, Brandon Burlsworth's story makes him a Razorback to remember. Recently, I did a Q&A with his older brother Marty, who was instrumental in Brandons life. He had fresh legs and blew up the play., After the Arkansas game, we knew that was our moment.. His life and career, however, ended in tragedy rather than triumph. In the world of sports, there are plenty of iconic underdog stories. They (Arkansas) did a good job of game-planning on us. Thats the way I went about it.. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Brandon Burlsworth death scene What was Brandon Burlsworth's death scene like? Email him at [emailprotected], Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. ( Marty Burlsworth ) From left to right, Brandon Burlsworth, Grant Garrett and Russ Brown pose for a picture in 1997. It made them believe they could win a title and instilled fear of the possibility of coming up short. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. MB: After we started receiving calls from Hollywood producers, we knew that if the story were told, we wanted it to be told in the most accurate way possible, understanding that its difficult to squeeze 15 years into two hours. After college he became a third-round pick of the Colts. It was an interesting set of play calls for Cutcliffe, who is widely considered a quarterback and passing game guru. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Before he ever hit the gridiron, though, the lineman tragically died in an offseason accident. The Indianapolis Colts wore his initials, BB, on their helmets for the 1999 season. "We were in need of finding a guard to shore up the line. We were impressed with the "guy with the horned-rimmed glasses that looked like Drew Carey." As a player, "Brandon promised to be one of those players we point to and say, 'This is how it's done,' " said a top Colts official. Known throughout Arkansas, Indianapolis was only getting to know Burlsworth. Mock Draft Monday, our weekly roundup of experts' predictions for who the Colts will take in the NFL Draft, is back with the NFL Combine getting underway in Indianapolis this week. After college he became a third-round pick of the Colts. Sow with action, you reap a habit. Chorus travels for Mississippi performance, Football alumni receive Division II honors, College of Education introduces new course. Brandon Burlsworth, NFL player. Candidates compete for Searcy mayor as Volleyball finishes record-breaking season at NCAA Thundering Herd welcomes high school guest Megias leads womens cross country team Basketball teams start seasons with high Community organization holds sixth annual Thankfulness Students take advantage of nearby concerts. That defined the Tennessee offense that year, Cutcliffe said. Every national championship team that ever played college football has to have a little luck sometime. Mens cross-country places 11th at regional Christmas Market features student-owned businesses. As spelled out in an ESPN college football video, Burlsworth was never the most athletic guy; during high school, he was slow, soft, and didnt see significant playing time until his junior year. After Brandon was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, the caring couple asked Barbara if they might give Brandon some new shirts and a set of luggage for his trip.
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