Rick Bryan
Encyclopedia
Rick Don Bryan was an American
football
defensive tackle who played for the Oklahoma Sooners
and the Atlanta Falcons
. He was a consensus All-American in 1982 and 1983 and the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year in 1982, and Academic All-Conference 1981-1983, he played for the Atlanta Falcons from 1984 through 1993. He died in July, 2009, at the age of 47.
in Coweta, Oklahoma
where he earned All-State honors in 1980. He began playing linebacker
in high school but was moved to defensive tackle by one of his coaches, Ben Wasson. Bryan was named to the Tulsa World
s All-century High school football team in 1999.
. He is OU’s eighth leading career tackler regardless of position. “No one outworked him,” said OU coach Barry Switzer.
with the 9th overall pick in the 1984 NFL Draft
. Bryan was the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1984. He spent all 9 years of his professional career with the Atlanta Falcons
, and still has the 10th most sacks in a career in Falcons' history, with the 8th most yardage lost. He eventually was forced into retirement by a number of injuries, including neck and back pains and a popped Achilles tendon. He was diagnosed with a spinal nerve injury in 1989, but kept playing and started 16 games in each of the next two seasons. “Rick was a warrior. That’s what made him such a good football player,” said Falcons All-Pro tackle Mike Kenn
when Bryan retired.
All Stats obtained via Rick Bryan's Database Football page or the official Atlanta Falcon's statistics page
and his family said he died of a heart attack
. 2,500 people attended his funeral in Coweta on July 30, 2009.He now has a sign dedicated to him on the road outside the Coweta High School.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive tackle who played for the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
and the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was a consensus All-American in 1982 and 1983 and the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year in 1982, and Academic All-Conference 1981-1983, he played for the Atlanta Falcons from 1984 through 1993. He died in July, 2009, at the age of 47.
Coweta High School 1976-1980
Bryan attended Coweta High SchoolCoweta High School
Coweta High School is a public school located in Coweta, Oklahoma and is accredited by the Oklahoma State Board of Education and the North Central Association of Secondary Schools. This school services grades ten through twelve with approximately 550 students in attendance.With the core subjects...
in Coweta, Oklahoma
Coweta, Oklahoma
Coweta is a city in Wagoner County, Oklahoma, United States and is a suburb of Tulsa. As of 2010, the population was 9,943.-History:Before statehood, when the Five Tribes or Five Civilized Tribes were moved to Oklahoma from the Eastern United States, the area that is now Coweta became part of the...
where he earned All-State honors in 1980. He began playing linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in high school but was moved to defensive tackle by one of his coaches, Ben Wasson. Bryan was named to the Tulsa World
Tulsa World
Tulsa World is the daily newspaper for the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the primary newspaper for the northeastern and eastern portions of Oklahoma, and is the second-most widely circulated newspaper in the state, after The Oklahoman. It was founded in 1905 and remains an independent newspaper,...
s All-century High school football team in 1999.
Oklahoma Sooners 1980-1983
Bryan was a consensus All-American at the University of Oklahoma in 1982 and 1983. He was Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year in 1982 and Academic All-Conference from 1981-1983. He owns the school record for career tackles by a defensive lineman (365), ranking him ahead of Kevin Murphy and Lee Roy SelmonLee Roy Selmon
Lee Roy Selmon was a Hall of Fame NFL football defensive lineman.-Early life:Selmon was the youngest of nine children of Lucious and Jessie Selmon, raised on a farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma...
. He is OU’s eighth leading career tackler regardless of position. “No one outworked him,” said OU coach Barry Switzer.
Career College Statistics
| Season | Tackles | Sacks | TFL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT | AT | TT | Sack | YdsL | TFL | Yds | |
| 1980 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1981 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1982 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1983 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Career | ? | ? | 352 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Professional Career 1984-1993
Bryan was selected by the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
with the 9th overall pick in the 1984 NFL Draft
1984 NFL Draft
The 1984 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 1-2, 1984. No teams elected to claim any players in the regular supplemental draft that...
. Bryan was the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1984. He spent all 9 years of his professional career with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and still has the 10th most sacks in a career in Falcons' history, with the 8th most yardage lost. He eventually was forced into retirement by a number of injuries, including neck and back pains and a popped Achilles tendon. He was diagnosed with a spinal nerve injury in 1989, but kept playing and started 16 games in each of the next two seasons. “Rick was a warrior. That’s what made him such a good football player,” said Falcons All-Pro tackle Mike Kenn
Mike Kenn
Michael Lee Kenn is a former American football player who was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1st round of the 1978 NFL Draft. A 6'7", 275-lb. offensive tackle from the University of Michigan, Kenn played his entire 17-year NFL career with the Falcons from 1978 to 1994. He is notable for...
when Bryan retired.
Career Professional Statistics
| Career Stats | Tackles | Sacks | Interceptions | Misc | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | G | Solo | Ast | Total | Sack | YdsL | Int | Yds | IntTD | DefTD | FFum | PD | Sfty |
| 1984 | Atlanta | 16 | ? | ? | ? | 2.0 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 1985 | Atlanta | 16 | ? | ? | ? | 7.5 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 1986 | Atlanta | 16 | ? | ? | ? | 7.0 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 1987 | Atlanta | 9 | ? | ? | ? | 2.5 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ? | ? |
| 1988 | Atlanta | 16 | ? | ? | ? | 5.0 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ? | ? |
| 1989 | Atlanta | 2 | ? | ? | ? | 1.0 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 1990 | Atlanta | 16 | ? | ? | ? | 1.0 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ? | ? |
| 1991 | Atlanta | 16 | ? | ? | ? | 3.0 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 1993 | Atlanta | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 109 | ? | ? | ? | 30.5 | 232 | ? | ? | ? | ? | 3 | ? | ? |
All Stats obtained via Rick Bryan's Database Football page or the official Atlanta Falcon's statistics page
Death
Bryan died on July 25, 2009 in his home in Coweta. He had suffered from congestive heart failureCongestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
and his family said he died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. 2,500 people attended his funeral in Coweta on July 30, 2009.He now has a sign dedicated to him on the road outside the Coweta High School.