His career was indeed an endless stream of injuries. He said he had no plans to play in that game but requested to play after seeing about 25 men looking for him on the sidelines. Matuszak, drafted by the Houston Oilers of the NFL, was the first draft pick of 1973. His dad only cared about his grades, and that's the one field where his son wasn't a champion. His movie credits included "North Dallas Forty," "Caveman" and "Ice Pirates." In fact, the director of The Goonies Richard Donner said one of the hardest parts of making the movie was getting the child actors to not play around too much with their gentle giant co-star. His cause of death was listed as "acute propoxyphene intoxication.". But even with the success Matuszak found in this new chapter of his life, some aspects of his troubled past remained. One year, while with the Raiders, he played Santa Claus at a children's hospital, and the emotions that came with it changed his mind and outlook. His heart momentarily stopped, and he came shockingly close to death. Another Golden Flashes senior, future six-time national championship coach Nick Saban, suffered a season-ending injury in October. Still, he was happy to be free of the painkillers, and being black and blue on Mondays. John Matuszak led a life of excesses, regardless of his physical pain. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_1',163,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-medrectangle-3-0'); John Matuszak wasbest known for appearingon numerous 1980s TV series likeTrapper John M.D. In the CareUnit at Cedars-Sinai he left halfway through a one-month program and headed straight for a doctor's office, where he tried to obtain a prescription. Death should have feared John Matuszak. He helped them win two Super Bowls (XI and XV), before retiring after spending the entire 1982 season on injured reserve. Later he joined Cocaine Anonymous (CA), and then Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). He was no fan of the press, as the press always fed on his exploits, leading to the perception that he was a real "bad dude." Matuszak's other notable movies are One Crazy Summer (1986), Ghost Writer (1989), The Princess and the Dwarf (1989), and many others.His last movie, Down the Drain, was released in 1990, after his demise. He then transferred to the University of Missouri for Coach Dan Devine, with whom he had a tough relationship. Oct. 25, 1989 12 AM PT. In his delightful and salacious biography, Sir Tooz summarizes his day job simply: "Football is a violent game and best played with a violent frame of mind." John Daniel Matuszak was once a scrawny, awkward kid from the Midwest. and as recognizable as Indiana Jones. He attended the University of Tampa and played for their football team. 1 draft choice. John Matuszak | The Goonies Wiki | Fandom In late 1984, Matuszak met with director Richard Donner, who was deep into casting The Goonies. Matuszak acted professionally in the 1980s, making appearances in feature films and on television, often portraying football players or gentle giants. Instead of cracking down on the instigators, the Raiders decided to memorialize the incident by hanging the broken crutch on the wall with the label "'Biskie's Tooz Pick." Cookies help us deliver our Services. Right away, Donner could tell he was perfect for the role of Sloth, a disfigured and abused son with a heart of gold. They have one child. The man who was once teased as a gawky beanpole in grade school was now a 6'8", 280-pound menace who helped get the Raiders to a 13-1 record in '76. Matuszak said he had no plans to play in that game but requested to play after seeing 25 or so men looking for him on the sidelines. Matuszak was the first overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft and played most of his career with the Oakland Raiders until he retired after winning his second Super Bowl in 1981. He made sports page headlines when he violated team curfew by partying in New Orleans the night before the Raiders beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 in the 1981 Super Bowl. After sitting out the 1982 season in Los Angeles, where the Raiders moved that year, with an injury, he retired to pursue full time an acting career in which he had dabbled while a player. Still, it was fun especially since Matuszak was a devoted Beatles fan. In Matuszak's last college football game, Tampa defeated Kent State 21-18 in the Tangerine Bowl. John Matuszak is a most popular American Actor, Football Player. As an actor, he played in both films and television, appearing first as O.W. He even seemed to have kicked his drug habit, according to his 1987 autobiography Cruisin With the Tooz. And when he misbehaved so blatantly that they couldn't really ignore what he'd done, they usually just laughed about it. Another Golden Flashes senior, future six-time national championship coach Nick Saban, suffered a season-ending injury in October. We assure our audience that we will remove any contents that are not accurate or according to formal reports and queries if they are justified. We will not be able to determine an exact cause of death until we get the results of toxicological, neurological and microscopic lab tests, said coroners investigator Claude Boucher. He had to spend five hours a day in the make-up chair getting into character. When his roommate came to pick him up from jail, he was wearing handcuffs, his Super Bowl Ring, a pair of powder blue cowboy boots and not a single shred of fabric. We won't really ever know because he never got a chance to grow older and wiser. The Los Angeles County coroner also found non-lethal traces of cocaine in the 38-year-old Matuszak's system. He is a member of famous with the age 39 years old group. He didn't know what was happening at the time and wanted to avoid confrontation. Matuszak also played for various NFL teams; his longest stint of six years having been spent with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, and later joining the Houston Oilers. If you go through those things in your mind, you can do them. He was supervisor of the criminal informant program when he left to become a partner in the firm of Tyler & Stetter. Matuszak's family also struggled with a brutal history of cystic fibrosis. With the Raiders, Matuszak played a key role in securing a couple of Super Bowl wins in 1977 and 1981. She attended James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. During World War II, she worked here as a driver with the American Red Cross. Matuszak lived large during this era in his career, but it wasn't all beautiful women and parties at Hugh Hefner's place. He enjoyed the company of kids, but afterwards, they made him feel depressed. His death made a huge impact upon Matuszak so huge, it couldn't be overshadowed by the fact that Matuszak met Richard Donner the very same night he met Belushi. John lost two brothers to cystic fibrosis, from which his sister also suffered. New Orleans isn't the easiest place to be free of distractions, and while most players resisted the city's temptations, the Tooz just couldn't help himself and partied himself into unconsciousness. He was gangly and tall, but hadn't yet developed that football player physique, and that made him an easy target. Matuszak, who played on two Super Bowl champions before turning to an acting career, was taken from his home in Los Angeles to St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank on Saturday night, where he died after suffering massive heart failure. Without any training in acting, youd probably expect him to be a bit of a novelty in one or two bad productions before people realized he had no talent. He also appeared in a number of cult classics including Caveman, One Crazy Summer, Ice Pirates, and as mentioned, The Goonies. If you know too much about a guy, you tend to prejudge him, to hold his past against him. 42, Order of the Eastern Star. In his book, Matuszak recalls meeting people who served as examples of how he didn't want to live. None of those characters was more iconic than Sloth, the hulking, deformed, and mistreated little brother of the bad guys. Simpson on HBO's 1st & Ten, until his 'roided-up character died of a heart attack on the practice field. We're here to examine it, from his famous role in The Goonies to his time passing the pigskin. If you were an '80s kid and you didn't know about John "The Tooz" Matuszak who was just as famous for his hard-partying, loud, larger-than-life persona as he was for his football game you definitely knew about his alter-ego, the enormous, gentle, unconventionally-featured Sloth, who was the face of the 1985 classic Goonies. It might as well have read, "Go ahead and rough up some more people because we think it's funny." Makeup Department: White Men Can't Jump. John Matuszak was an American football defensive end in the National Football League who later became an actor.. Who is John Matuszak dating? Kent State's coach was Don James, who went on to win the 1991 national championship at Washington. After a freshman year playing football at Fort Dodge Junior College in Iowa, Matuszak was recruited to the University of Missouri by Dan Devine. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Kentucky Derby draw finds favorite Forte in a nice spot in the middle, Lakers-Warriors series: Plenty of story lines, but LeBron vs. Steph is No. "Car troubles" could have been the name of his biography: He amassed a long rap sheet of arrests, including ones for aggressive driving, careless driving, possession of drugs, and drunken driving. He even liked to dress up as Santa Claus and entertain children around Christmas time. A year later, he signed with the Houston Texans of the World Football League, where he played briefly before he was served an injunction obtained by the Oilers. John Matuszak was in an on-screen matchup with Barbara Bach in Caveman (1981). In addition, Matuszak was a pneumonia patient and had an enlarged heart, which also added to the cause of his death. She once tried to run him over in her car after a fight. videos, Former Girlfriend Says Lifestyle of Matuszak Was 'Excessive' John Matuszak Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. (His draft status didn't do anything for Tampa's football program. The winning continued, and they got back to the promised land in 1979 for Super Bowl XV in New Orleans. "I have a little velvet box at home," Cozart told the LA Times. A preliminary police investigation found no signs of foul play, said a police spokesman. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? [10] He was only 38 years old. He starred in a short-lived 1985 prime-time television series, "Hollywood Beat," playing George Grinsky, a huge gay informant whose business was used by undercover cops working in Hollywood. John Matuszak Warner Bros./Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images After a short career in the NFL, Matuszak became an actor, most famously playing Lotney "Sloth" Fratelli. In 1981, Matuszak made headlines for partying the night before the Raiders' second Super Bowl victory. LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Ex-football star John Matuszak's parents reacted swiftly to the coroner's announcement that their son died of an accidental overdose of a mild narcotic painkiller, criticizing doctors who prescribe such medication. His primary income source was through his acting and football career. One of these walking object lessons was John Belushi. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Matuszak was the only one of the first six selections of the 1973 draft never to earn first-team All-Pro honors. John Daniel Matuszak (October 25, 1950 - June 17, 1989) was an American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) who later became an actor. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. In 1987,Matuszak got in yet another car accident, but instead of exchanging insurance information which would have been perfectly cordial given that Matuszak was huge and anyone who was on the receiving end of a fender-bender with the guy would have almost certainly been really understanding Matuszak decided to punch the driver and leave the scene. Fresh out of college, Matuszaks drug use was so outrageous that his teammates called him John Glenn, like the famous astronaut because he was often flying high. So despite his massive frame and incredible talent on the field, his football career was extremely rocky. An article written for Sports Illustrated' s website in January 2005 named him one of the top five all-time "bad boys" of the NFL. One local remembered him pushing aside the town's mayor so he could sign an autograph for a child. He was cut before the season began in 1976. Ex-fiance Stephanie Cozart once told Matuszak that his undoing was his failure to accept responsibility for pretty much everything that happened in his life. Even John Matuszak's fiancee Stephanie Cozart couldn't convince him to stay clean. John Matuszak was in a relationship with Stephanie Cozart Burton (1980 - 1989).. About. Matuszak was always big for his age, which became an advantage as a defensive lineman in football. Surprisingly he turned out to be a pretty good actor. Matuszak was then picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs, only to be dropped after head coach Paul Wiggin found him unconscious and not breathing one day. Unfortunately, though, for the real Sloth there was no happy ending. Like most children and people who don't ever really grow up, John Matuszak never took responsibility for any of the crazy, dangerous, and irresponsible things he did. In it he writes: I abstain from cocaine, and any other foreign substance, entirely now. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Survivors include two children by his first marriage, Nancy Stetter Graham and Grant Hamilton Stetter, both of Falls Church; two stepsons, Navy Capt. Unfortunately, The Tooz's big heart just couldn't handle all the excesses it had been forced to endure over the far too-short life of the man it belonged to. Matuszak was born in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. As a result, the city kid's world was rocked when his family moved to rural Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The Houston Oilers made him the No. A Girl Scout herself from 1924 until 1933, Mrs. Spencer later was an official and volunteer with the organization in Massachusetts from the mid-1930s until 1943. When they offered the rookie a contract, they lowballed him. He appeared on such TV shows as "M*A*S*H," "Trapper John, M.D." 1 pick in the 1973 National Football League draft. In his book about sports heroes,John Schulian wrote that after the death of his 2-year-old brother, Matuszak, who was 12 or 13 years old at the time, took it upon himself to buy shoes for the child to be buried in because he heard his mother crying that her son's feet were too swollen to fit into the pair he already owned. You know, the ole "I only meant to give him a black eye, not break his whole nose" excuse. By the time he became a professional athlete, Matuszak stood 6ft 8in (2.03m) and weighed over 280lb (130kg). He was also a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He died as a result of "acute propoxyphene intoxication," a painkiller known by the trade name of Darvon, at the untimely age of 38. John Matuszak, the former Los Angeles Raider who died of an accidental overdose of painkiller last summer, left most of his estate to his mother . Survivors include her husband of 43 years, Kenneth Spencer, of Columbia; a daughter, Susan Elliker, of Norfolk; a son, William Spencer, of Columbia, a brother, Tracy Page, of Farmington, Conn., and four grandchildren. The reason for his death was an overdose of a prescription painkiller called Darvocet, which led to his heart failure. John Matuszak Net Worth, Height, Age, and More This led to endless heartbreak, a crisis of faith, and trouble being around children going forward for Matuszak their presence made him deeply sad. According to the New York Times, the coroner's report also listed bronchial pneumonia and an enlarged heart as factors that contributed to his death the latter is sometimes associated with steroid abuse, though his friends and family insisted that was one vice he'd never had. He appeared in the movies Caveman, The Ice Pirates, One Man Force, and One Crazy Summer, but is frequently remembered as deformed captive Sloth in The Goonies, the make-up for which took five hours to apply. His mask had 15 overlapping pieces to it, including electronic eyes and ears. A defensive lineman from the University of Tampa, Matuszak was the Houston Oilers' number one pick in the 1973 draft. FORMER GIRLFRIEND SAYS LIFESTYLE OF MATUSZAK, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The new OrlandoSentinel.com: FAQs and more, DeSantis oversight board votes to sue Disney, FORMER GIRLFRIEND SAYS LIFESTYLE OF MATUSZAK WAS EXCESSIVE, Florida lawmakers agree to $116 billion budget in final week, Photos: Best and worst looks from the 2023 Met Gala, Florida man guilty in 2017 serial killings of 4 people, Seaweed mass hits record-breaking size in Caribbean as it heads to Florida and Gulf, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. At the time, Manuszak had just appeared on an episode of Miami Vice and was filming an action movie called One Man Force. Matuszak was bit by the acting bug as a kid, when he saw James Dean getting paid to be cool in Rebel Without a Cause. His marriage to Patricia Ann Stetter ended in divorce. You could argue that portraying an emotionally complex killer biker gang member on Miami Vice and a cop who goes on a vengeful murderous spree in One Man Force somehow resulted in Matuszak backsliding into some of his old, reckless ways, even when he was finally being recognized as a talented, sensitive man, Nevertheless, it seemed as if Matuszak was finally getting his life under control. Unfortunately, both his brothers died at an early age due to a disease called cystic fibrosis. , money, salary, income, and assets. Connect any celebrity with John Matuszak to see how closely they are linked romantically! The Raiders had toassign a 22-year-old front office worker to literally move in with him and keep an eye on him fellow player Pat Toomay called the job "Keeper of the Tooz.". After the coroner's report was released, his parents admitted that their son used prescription and illegal drugs to try to cope with chronic back pain. Then, when it was time to actually start playing, the pressure was almost too high for him to succeed. Matuszak also played for various NFL teams; his longest stint of six years having been spent with the Oakland/Los . Matuszak tried to take it easy on his back while filming. Kent State's coach was Don James, who went on to win the 1991 national championship at Washington. He played as the defensive end for various NFL teams. But his father, who had no interest in sports, showed him no affection he attended only one of John's games. Shaddock in the 1979 filmNorth Dallas Forty. Mr. Stetter, who lived in Calabash, N.C., worked for the FBI here for 16 years before retiring in 1952. In his autobiography, he stated that he used drugs and abused alcohol while playing professional football. She has been married to LeVar Burton since 3 October 1992. Actor: The Goonies. Hisfirst lead rolecame in the 1985 adventure comedy filmThe Goonies. Turns out, the pummelee was an Air Force cadet who ended up with 18 fractures in his face he needed a whopping 10 hours of surgery to be made whole again. A full body orgasm at the L.A. Phil? Kansas City was the next stop on the trouble tour, and it didn't exactly turn out to be a KC masterpiece. What Happened To John Matuszak? (Story) - Pro Football History The displeased Oilers traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs for Curley Culp, another player who had threatened to jump to the WFL, and a first-round draft choice in 1975 on October 22, 1974. Matuszak got into an argument with the driver of the other car, then knocked him out cold before fleeing the scene. As a result, as he put it, "painkillers are a way of life in the NFL." We commit to cover sensible issues responsibly through the principles of neutrality. However, whenever anyone met him, worked with him, or enjoyed life with him, they came away knowing he was a giving person and a gentle giant. Before the 1976 season, the Chiefs traded him to the Washington Redskins, where he was cut two weeks later. He was also a member of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church in Alexandria. Mr. Matuszak also wrote his autobiography, "Cruisin' With The Tooz." He was born John Daniel Matuszak in Oak Creek, Wis. . ELIZABETH H. (BETTY) CLARK Defense Department Secretary Elizabeth H. (Betty) Clark, 66, a longtime Arlington resident who was a secretary with the Department of Defense for 30 years until she retired in the early 1970s, died of cancer June 17 at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis. Enter Oakland Raiders maverick owner Al Davis, who decided to take a chance on Matuszak. John Daniel Matuszak was once a scrawny, awkward kid from the Midwest. Sign in Thursday, June 2, 2022; WIKISPRO . John Matuszak was just 38 when he died of heart failure a decade ago, and his flamboyance made an explanation mandatory. He always played well, though, so he managed to get away with all the hijinks. Even though he was under contract with his current team, he decided to sign a second contract with the Houston Texans in the World Football League, which seems a bit logistically problematic, but he was The Tooz, so maybe he just figured he could pummel his way through any and all consequences. It was a rough and wild time in his life one that cast long shadows. Just as in life, Matuszak was defined by potential only barely realized, his struggle with addiction and, something you couldnt see at first glance: a big heart. Although there was a trace of cocaine in his system, thecause of death was an accidental overdose of the prescription drug, Darvocet a drug he was actually prescribed and took that very morning. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 25 October. In between these early acting gigs, he found time to unwind and undress for Playgirlin 1982. After being cut by the Redskins, Matuszak's football career was in limbo. Matuszak was notorious for sneaking women into his room at training camp and even somehow onto the team plane. John Matuszak has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. In 1972, Matuszak made a place in the All American Team. An autopsy Sunday failed to determine the exact cause of death of Matuszak, a 6-foot-9, 280-pounder who played with the Raiders from 1976 to 1981. ", Cozart had a wedding dress and the stamps were on the invitations, but she called off their wedding when Matuszak failed, once again, to meet his 90-days-sober goal. So, how much is John Matuszak worth at the age of 39 years old? Then he grew into a physical colossus, became a big-time California football star, and eventually, an out-and-out movie star. Ironically, it was Paul Wiggin, the Chief's coach, who saved his life and then traded him to the Washington Redskins just seven days after he was released from the hospital. 1 NFL draft pick in 1973, thus proving that it's okay to mess up someone's face as long as you didn't actually mean to mess up his face, and as long as you're really, really good at football. John Matuszak was an American actor and football player. John Milo Matuszak was born on 25 October 1950 in Wisconsin, USA, to his father, Marvin Matuszak, and mother, Audrey Matuszak. Matuszak died on June 17, 1989, as a result of acute propoxyphene intoxication, an accidental overdose of the prescription drug Darvocet, according to the findings of the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. Before he made his way to the silver screen as Sloth, John Matuszak was a professional football player. He had a three-episode stint opposite O.J. "But it's funny, when I was a teenager and I would start to watch the old NFL films and they would have films of John playing for the Raiders he would just terrify people on the field, which was totally shocking to me. A former girlfriend who talked to John Matuszak last Friday said the football player-turned-actor had tried hard in recent years to overcome widely publicized drug and alcohol problems . There was also cocaine in his system but the amount was so small it was "not considered to have contributed to his death.". How tall was John Matuszak? Boucher said that a natural heart attack is obvious right away at the time of the autopsy. And it never had anything to do with the fact that he was high.". Matuszakdied at the age of 38on 17 June 1989. and more from FamousFix.com, Heart failure (due to an accidental overdose of the prescription drug Darvocet), Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, Cudahy, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA. 1970s - DL John Matuszak died at 38 in 1989 after life of partying, including drug use and suspected steroid use. All hell broke loose. In Matuszak's first season,the Raiders won their first Super Bowl title, and Matuszak played a big part in that victory. According to the LA Times, in one incident, The Tooz got into a semi-kidding argument with assistant coach Terry Robiskie, who was also a former teammate. His wild partying eventually landed him in court. Matuszak's off-the-field troubles also started in college. Kids are mean. The family moved from downtown Milwaukee to Oak Creek, Wisconsin, where Matuszak's classmates ridiculed him as a gawky beanpole. But John Matuszak was only 38 when he died, so maybe he needed a few more years. But Stephanie Cozart, who said she had remained a close friend of the former Oakland Raiders defensive end since their breakup a year ago, expressed the opinion that Matuszaks former lifestyle might have taken its toll. Stephanie Cozart Burton - IMDb Drafted by the Houston Oilers in the 1st round (1st overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft. Stephanie Cozart Burton. Matuszak's life was a multifaceted one. His part was more complex than he could have imagined. The joke at the time was that you didnt have to be a convicted felon to play for the Raiders, but it helped. Maybe because Matuszak fit in with this team full of screw-ups and misfits, he finally buckled down and began to perform up to his potential. John Matuszak. There were also traces of cocaine found in his bloodstream. Matuszak enjoyed "enough parties for twenty people's lives", and especially lived it up during the season onWednesdays, AKA "Tooz Day." After his injury, he had an excuse and a prescription, and that's what ultimately led to his death in 1989. [5][6], Matuszak's football career was often overshadowed by his lifestyle. C. GRANT STETTER FBI Agent, Administrative Law Judge C. Grant Stetter, 74, a former Washington lawyer and FBI agent who served as an administrative law judge with the Social Security Administration in Flint, Mich., from 1973 to 1982, died June 10 at a hospital in Shallotte, N.C., after stroke. He lived in Alexandria. That was not the case with Matuszak, Boucher said, but he declined to speculate on what else may have caused the death, pending test results. He had one sister and two brothers. The university didn't like that, and revoked his scholarship. And so Matuszak kind of just went on like that for most of the rest of his career brawling, getting in trouble, being forgiven things only celebrities can get away with. Third period, Jon Keyworth goes left end for eight stopped by John Matuszak Credit: Denver Post We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. It was with the Missouri Tigers that he had his first real injury. In his autobiography playfully entitled Cruisin' with the Tooz even though it was basically a story of horrible tragedy, addiction, and the pending downfall of a talented human being Matuszak described six car accidents that resulted in convictions. But he still managed to surprise Jeff Cohen, who played his onscreen buddy Chunk, by picking him up while strapped in a chair and kissing him. So, no lessons learned. He was born in October 25, 1950, in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, United States. His bad boy reputation had few teams lining up to offer him a job. Luckily, his coach rushed him to the hospital and saved his life. His second wife, Patricia Beaumont Stetter, died in 1987. Matuszak was the only one of the first six selections of the 1973 draft to never earn first team All-Pro honors. At 39 years old, John Matuszak height Matuszak participated in the 1978 World's Strongest Man competition, where he placed ninth. He signed up to play with the upstart World Football League's Houston Texans (no relation to the current team of the same name). But when it came to John Matuszak, trouble seemed to follow him wherever he went. The night after an exhibition game with the Oilers at the Astrodome, he had a game the next night at the same exact venue, with a different team, in a different league. "When he arrived," coachJohn Madden told ESPN, "I wasn't about to talk to him about his past. After Washington showed him the business end of the cleat, John Matuszak was a free agent, and the Oakland Raiders were kind of desperate. IMDB claimshis height to be 6 feet 7 inches, but according towashingtonpost.com, he was 6 feet 9 inches tall.