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. We had never had a problem with anybody in the SEC but Florida. Brandon, Marty's younger brother by 16 years, was tragically killed in an auto accident on April 28, 1999 . Coleman recalled seeing Ratliff, who was over 300 pounds, dunk a basketball with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. "I sent one of those shirts to the funeral home and Brandon was buried in it," said Barbara. What else could I do? Throughout his football career, Brandon Burlsworth never let adversity stop him from achieving his goals. Burlsworth was selected in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts but he was killed eleven days later in a car accident near Alpena, Arkansas on April 28, 1999. We do not target any individuals under the age of 21. I think about that all the time.. He was in the prime of his football career. 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. Leo Burlsworth United States Social Security Death Index Age 59 Given Name Leo Surname Burlsworth Birth Date 19 Oct 1938 State Arkansas Last Place of Residence Boone, Arkansas Previous Residence Postal Code 72601 Event Date 02 Apr 1997 ===== LEO BURLSWORTH 19 Oct 1938 02 Apr 1997 (V) 72601 (Harrison, Boone, AR) 72601 (Harrison, Boone, AR) 000 . ESPN NHL Production Coordinator Camille Bova Does it All for the 2023 NHL Stadium Series in Raleigh, N.C. check will go to Burlsworth's former high school for its scholarship fund and the other was presented to Arkansas, his alma mater. The Comfort Inn's scrolling marquee was simple, but also eerie: ``Remember Brandon Burlsworth,'' followed by the time and temperature. 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. Coleman had seen the suffering Ratliff had been through. Hes in college at Georgia Southern. Brandon the officer told us had collided head on with a semi. Former Arkansas football player and Indianapolis Colts third-round draft pick Brandon Burlsworth died Wednesday in a car crash near Carrolton, Ark., while travelling to his home, state police said . However, he was killed in an automobile accident 11 days after the draft. As the mind flashes back 15 years ago, the accident remains just as tragic. The life of a tremendous human being was ended. That is an incalculable loss. There was no overlooking those two foes like the Vols might have done against Arkansas. Burlsworth ran a 40-yard touchdown in 4.88 seconds during the combine, more than any other player. With a chance to be Harrison's first full-time resident to make a professional sport, brother and agent Marty remembers draft day. #HistoricHog pic.twitter.com/xBCanCzixz. Published: Wednesday, August 24, 2016. "Then I turned around and the next player I faced was Brandon. . Although Brandon became a stickler for staying focused and doing things the right way, he also was a typically sloppy teenager until the 10th grade when Barbara told him if he was serious about going to college, "he'd better get his act together." Justin Herbert set an NFL rookie record with 31 passing touchdowns in 2020, when Shane Steichen was his offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Chargers. He didnt do it on his own, White said of Stoerners fumble. He died in a car crash on April 28, 1999, shortly after he was drafted by the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. I dont want to tell them what to walk away with I want to inspire them through this story.. Organizations and businesses prepare for Valentines Gov. You sow a character, you reap a destiny. Sow with action, you reap a habit. | GREATER Movie LOS ANGELES (Christian Examiner) - GREATER, a new film about the inspiring story of Christian football player Brandon Burlsworth, who shot from walk-on at the University of Arkansas to a NFL draftee, will hit theaters this summer. He went after it without caution.". Why did he have to die when he had everything to live for? After college he became a third-round pick of the Colts. Cutcliffe called on Henry five consecutive times. And I just thought it was a devastatingly tragic story but also an inspiring one., Watch the story behind GREATER. Brandon Burlsworth was the former All-American offensive lineman for the Arkansas Razorbacks. . Now, a careless fumble? I have a son right now that just turned 22. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson advanced Tuesday to a runoff election as they seek to become the Windy City's next mayor, putting an end to incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot's one-term tenure leading the city amid an unprecedented crime wave.. Who are the two candidates looking to come out on top in the April 4 runoff election? Foreign Language Department brings back after-school Harding employees bring families to swim Searcy Police and Public Safety investigate Reframing chapel: administration introduces changes, Student Association celebrates Earth Week. Aaron Burlsworths parents, Marty and Vickie Burlsworth, are in charge of the foundation and its numerous roles from taking kids in poor financial situations to games to getting them quality eye care. The Arkansas win did more than preserve the Vols perfect record. At Arkansas, the former Harrison High School player became a three-year starter and finished as an All-Southeastern Conference pick and on the Associated Press All-America second team. Its just amazing to see the impact on these kids lives and the smiles on their faces by introducing them to things that we take for granted.. That was a caused fumble. He made close friends with Ed Robinson, who was a bit older. Said Martin, It was really good for us as a team to win in the fashion we won. I think the movie speaks to people in many different ways, Reindl said. When the 1999 NFL draft rolled around, the Indianapolis Colts made the linemans dreams a reality and selected him with the 63rd-overall pick. Performance & security by Cloudflare. His life and career, however, ended in tragedy rather than triumph. Philip Straub said the call came in at 4:17 p.m. that there was a crash involving a car and a tractor-trailer on U.S. 412 near Carrolton. "We got to know a lot of Colts personnel at training camp. Through the years, we have stayed close.". In this 1999 photo, the locker of Brandon Burlsworth is seen encased in glass in the locker room at the University of Arkansas. Brandon was Brandon Burlsworth, an All-American offensive guard who began his career at Arkansas as a walk-on and was known for his thick, black glasses. When I heard Brandon passed away, it hit home, Ratliff said. 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. Tragically, that never happened. This book is the inspiring biography of a local boy who makes good. Casting Directors are now casting for the upcoming SAG feature film "Greater" filming in Arkansas. Fifteen years. So sad, so much promise, such a terrific person. 1. The struggles that he had gone through to get where he was were over. This is incredible. After his rise to prominence at Arkansas, Brandon Burlsworth seemed poised to make the leap to the NFL. You can see through the movie that the way he lived his life and how his family reacted answers the question of what to do when these things happen.. After that ran, we began getting calls from Los Angeles about doing a movie. Its hard not to imagine what might have been had Burlsworth not passed away when he was 22. Accident investigators indicated that Burlsworth was trailing another semi-truck rig on the winding, two-lane highway toward Harrison when he veered left just slightly to check oncoming. Tragically, at the age of 22, 10 days after the draft, he was killed in a car accident on April 28th, 1999 while on his way home from the University of Arkansas to attend church with his mom. Ratliff pounced on the ball. Scanlon will be the 14 th recipient of the award, the first being awarded in 2010 to Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt.. A 2-year letterman for the Razorbacks, Kevin . Yet Ratliff kept fighting through his injuries to help his teammates. Brian Reindl, writer and producer of "Greater," said he loved the opportunity to tell such an incredible story in his first-ever production. 77 retired. 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 . The press conference will be streamed live. He said his familys personal contribution to Brandons legacy was the Burlworth Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping underprivileged kids enjoy Arkansas Razorback and Indianapolis Colts games. Brandon Burlsworth rose from a walk-on to a legitimate player at Arkansas However, he was killedin an automobile accident 11 days after the draft. Phillip was saying Weve got to throw it. The now-retired Mudd could be forgiven if he could not remember Burlsworth vividly. Brandon and Ed played football together and became very close friends over the years. (NWA Media). Steichen called plays for the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. "It would have been great to see Brandon play, but it wasn't God's plan. That wasn't the way it's supposed to be, and that's what you accept.". Burlsworth was a walk-on offensive lineman at the University of Arkansas who, throughout his career at Arkansas, went from being a red-shirt out-of-shape freshman to a player that the Indianapolis Colts would draft. brandon burlsworth foundation to honor stephens inc. kevin scanlon with legends award Burlsworth was killed 15 miles from home on a road he had traveled for years when his car drifted into the on coming lane. Life itself, squeezed into 60 minutes in 100 yards. When (Greater producer and co-screenwriter) Brian Reindl came to us, we instantly felt a comfort level with him and his desire to tell Brandons story. Mudd went on to scale heights with Indianapolis that included the NFL's all-time winningest regular-season record over a decade (115-45, 2000-09), multiple division titles, two AFC crowns and a World Championship. UT took over at the Hogs 43-yard line with just 1:43 left. Ill never understand, but I know that thousands of kids have been helped through Brandons foundation and so many great things have come from our tragedy. He was on his heels and I was like, Im not going to stop pushing.'. I tell people all the time that if I was still in the game when that happened, we probably would have lost because I just didnt have it in the tank right then, Coleman said. However, the player some consider the best walk-on in college football history was tragically killed in a car accident just 11 days later. He said that the message spoke of the joy of living everyday life and asked big questions, making it a powerful story. Billy Ratliff was right next to me, Wilson said. 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. MB: After Brandons death, it was rough at first and I certainly struggled. Q: I remember hearing how as a high school sophomore that Brandon didnt look anything like a future SEC player. 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. "No problem, I'm used to it," quipped Burlsworth, who popped the lens of his eyeglasses out and smiled away. They (Arkansas) did a good job of game-planning on us. Both press conferences will be streamed live on Colts.com, the Colts mobile app, @Colts on Twitter and the Colts Facebook page. That says it all. He was traveling to Harrison from Fayetteville to . Weve got to throw it. I said No, were going to run it every down and we ran the football right down their throat.. [2] Death Eleven days after being drafted, he was killed in a car accident near Alpena, Arkansas on his way back to his hometown of Harrison one night after a workout in Fayetteville. He keeps getting knocked down and coming back.. Stoerner lost his grip as he seemingly laid the ball on the ground. They said they were at a loss at what to do after Brandons death but knew they had to do something to keep moving forward. Brandon burlsworth dies on arkansas highway after head on collision with tractor trailer. So I read up on his story and the first thing that came to mind is hes Rudy [Ruettiger, the famed former Notre Dame football walk-on], only better. The foundation, established in 1999, has several programs that serve children in Arkansas and around the country. Ratliffs explosive push into the backfield caused Burlsworth to step on Stoerners foot. He loved the kids, Marty Burlsworth said. 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.. Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth was an offensive lineman for the Arkansas Razorbacks Football Team from 1995 to 1998. . But there was a film made about it and there were a lot of articles about it. But he loses that control over him and his faith is restored making the carving revert back. I really felt like that game built character in our team because for the first time, we felt the feeling of defeat and that was a feeling we didnt want to have anymore.. Were going to get the ball back., "I tell people all the time that if I was still in the game when that happened, we probably would have lost because I just didnt have it in the tank right then. Told he wasn't good enough to play Division I football, Brandon Burlsworth took a risk and walked on in 1994, and he became the most respected player in the history of the program. The Indianapolis Colts wore his initials, BB, on their helmets for the 1999 season. We are very happy with the way it turned out. While he received some offers from smaller schools, Burlsworth wanted to go to the University of Arkansas and play for the Razorbacks. During his junior and senior years, his work ethic and focus really kicked in. "He listened, then just did it," said Tice. Administration enforces faculty reductions to rightsize Larger than life: Family, friends, co-workers Student Health Services offers nurse practitioner, Bison basketball teams drive season further, Police investigate apartment shootings in Searcy, New shopping opportunities come to Searcy. Every place starts with a cadence and ends with a whistle. Marty Burlsworth: Brandon had entered high school early, so he graduated at 17 years old and was still growing. I remember Al on the sideline screaming at us and telling us, We cant lose to Arkansas, Ratliff said. If you feel like you're losing control over your gambling experience, call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA, WV), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-888- 532-3500(Virginia) 1-800-522-4700 (NV, TN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO, TN), 1-855-2CALLGA (IL), 1-800-270-7117 (MI). 22, who died Wednesday in an automobile accident. He definitely was, Coleman said. You can say that if you werent a part of it and you didnt see what I saw. The offensive guard had been named an All-American and a two-time All-SEC First Team player. When Zac Budman was assigned to produce a feature for College GameDay Built by The Home Depot on the late Brandon Burlsworth, he did his research and learned the amazing and tragic story of the former Arkansas Razorbacks offensive lineman. Known throughout Arkansas, Indianapolis was only getting to know Burlsworth. We didnt really get a chance until the end of the game.. "There are people in the organization we feel close to. I'm still asked by people in Harrison about the Colts, and I tell them about our close relationship to this day. Arkansas is impressed with the Colts, no doubt about that.". Coach Tice: You know, football's a rough game; it's unpredictable. 172.104.178.68 Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth was born in Harrison, Arkansas, on September 20, 1976 to Leo Burlsworth and Barbara Burlsworth. He was killed in a car accident just days after the 1999 NFL Draft. The foundation also runs football camps and presents several awards and scholarships. Do it the right way when no one else is looking. Id never heard it before. [3] You want to just tell the story as if no one had ever heard it before. The magazine did an extensive eight-page piece on him. Burlsworth was killed in a car accident at age 22, 10 days after being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft. It was an interesting set of play calls for Cutcliffe, who is widely considered a quarterback and passing game guru. Chorus travels for Mississippi performance, Football alumni receive Division II honors, College of Education introduces new course. We dont know why, but we do know that we will see him again. Today, The University of Arkansas has created an endowment in Brandon's name. An Arkansas loss would end the Vols dreams for a title but keep hope alive for the Razorbacks, who were surprisingly also in the national title hunt. Burlsworth was killed in a traffic accident last Wednesday as he drove from working out at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville to his home in Harrison, a city of about 11,000. The program provides free exams and glasses for up to 1,000 preschool-through-12th grade students in Arkansas, and there are plans to take it nationwide. "He spent (Tuesday) night with Joe Dean Davenport." (Joe Dean later played for the Colts.) Brandon Burlsworth was killed in an automobile accident near Alpena, Arkansas, on April 28, 1999. He continued to grow and was a good 6-foot-2, 260 pounds in his senior season. However, every time he thinks of the fumble, its hard not to think of Burlsworth. You like to see those kinds of things happen in sports. Marty Burlsworth said his brother always remembered where he came from and wanted to help kids in similar situations to his. The Burlsworth Trophy has been awarded every year since 2010. Greater misses key fact. "I remember he was the first college lineman I looked at on video that year," said Howard Mudd, then the Colts' line coach and one of the game's best ever. The Vols won eight consecutive games to start the 1998 season before they hosted Arkansas. Two collisions followed and the life of a wonderful human with vast. Having any girlfriend was something relatively new for Brandon since his focus had been solely on his family, faith, friends, football and earning his master's degree. Tommy Tice, Brandon's high school coach at Harrison, said most people couldn't know that Brandon had etched the noseband of his trademark black-rim glasses with the words "All-American. Brandon Burlsworth went from freshman walk-on to an All-American at Arkansas before being the Colts' third-round pick in 1999. With the tragic way he died, how did you make sense of it all? On Friday, Aug. 26, the movie "GREATER" will be released in theaters. On the practice field, a dedicated and fully-focused Burlsworth did not remove his helmet or unbutton his chin strap. Brian Reindl is a real estate developer by trade, but a filmmaker by passion. If it does not offend you, then you should enjoy it. Another trait that set Brandon apart was his respectful devotion to doing whatever authority figures asked of him. 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. The story of Brandon Burlsworth, possibly the greatest walk-on in the history of college football. 412 when he became involved in the crash with two tractor trailers officials said. To be of the offensive line Brandon took a risk and walked on 1994! The Harrison, Arkansas, native walked on and became a three-year starter, All-American and NFL Draft pick. Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. I was high as a kite. However, once Marty stopped listening to him it returned to less detail. Barbara and Marty came to training camp in advance of the Buffalo opener. About Saturday Down South | Ethics and Editorial Standards | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Other Conferences: Big Ten | ACC | Pac-12, "Billy Ratliff was right next to me. Brandon Burlsworth, NFL player. His heart weighed a good part of that. "He loved the coaching staff and grew close to Coach Mudd immediately," said Marty. "Brandon felt very good about getting on the field and beginning the next step of his career. He knew he could be going against Bruce Smith on opening day. He was already getting ready for that challenge.". All rights reserved. After the Arkansas game, we knew that was our moment, former UT cornerback Dwayne Goodrich said. There is some footage of the real Brandon after the last credits. After being six feet tall and weighing 200 pounds as a senior at Harrison High School in 1993, Burlsworth grew almost three inches and added 30 pounds by the following spring. Before he ever hit the gridiron, though, the lineman tragically died in an offseason accident. Draft but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later. Our family chose to turn our grief into something that would make a difference and honor Brandon for the things he felt so strongly about. Its very possible the two would have had many more epic battles in the NFL. They came to town to interview everyone and get photographs for the magazine. After working 11 years on his Brandon Burlsworth biopic Greater, Reindl is within days of seeing his dream project open on 400 to 450 screens across the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest next week.. Burlsworth was an All-American football player for the University of Arkansas, who died tragically in an automobile . Departments offer new classes across campus, Student Association hosts first birthday bash. She agreed, and the night before Brandon's fatal accident, he sat with his mother at the dinner table to send the Roths a thank-you note. After walking on, Burlsworth became an All-American and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts to help protect Peyton Manning. It made them believe they could win a title and instilled fear of the possibility of coming up short. It's an image of how the "farmer" was capturing Marty's soul and he was becoming the "farmers". Though Burlsworths story is not new, Budman felt that he should approach the story, with reporter Tom Rinaldi, as if every viewer was learning about it for the first time. 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. I think about it all the time. Brandon said, 'Yes, sir.' Hereof, what year did Brandon Burlsworth die? Brandon always had a huge heart for kids. His foundation serves about 2,400 children annually through an Eyeglass program in conjunction with Walmart Optical (a long-visioned Brandon famously would hoard his per diem on football trips to buy Walmart stock). https://t.co/0d1lDS8ST3, Chris Jones (@EnswellJones) August 29, 2019, Tragic what happened to him. 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. Hate to see Desir be the victim lol. The fundraising event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. 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. Brian Reindl, writer and producer of Greater, said he loved the opportunity to tell such an incredible story in his first-ever production. Please read our Terms of Use or contact us. Brandon's family established an establishment in 1999 to respect him. Brandon burlsworth dies on arkansas highway after head on collision with tractor trailer. It was the offenses turn after Ratliff proved prophetic. The 22-year-old Burlsworth, who had been drafted by the Colts 11 days earlier in the wake of gaining first-group All-America respects as a fifth-year senior, was involved with a head-on crash with a tractor-trailer around 15 miles outside Harrison and was killed. The team broke into laughter. Good fortune was certainly on the Vols side against Arkansas. Brandon Burlsworth died from a car accident just eleven days after being drafted. When he got to Arkansas as a walk-on, he knew that he had to put everything he had into it and more. Few of them, though, have followed the same road as Brandon Burlsworth. 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. 2 Alabama, SEC Women's Basketball Tournament action suspended due to weather delay, 2 SEC players named to late-season watch list for Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy, Overrated?
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