John Matuszak weighed 272 lbs (123 kg) when playing. If you go through those things in your mind, you can do them. "When he arrived," coachJohn Madden told ESPN, "I wasn't about to talk to him about his past. He regularly took the painkiller Darvocet to keep away severe back pains, which led to his heart failure. Matuszak tried to take it easy on his back while filming. Matuszak, a former all-pro defensive end noted for his aggression on the field, his flamboyance off it and his nickname, the Tooz, named his mother, Audrey Matuszak of Oak Creek, Wis., as his representative in the will formally filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. His best known role was as the deformed Sloth in the 1985 movie "The Goonies". Then he grew into a physical colossus, became a big-time California football . One such incident happened when he got into a fender bender in 1987. Enter Oakland Raiders maverick owner Al Davis, who decided to take a chance on Matuszak. 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. 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. He had two brothers, but both died of cystic fibrosis at young ages. The report also said that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart) and bronchopneumonia had been contributing factors in his death. That's right: As Cohen describes it, the "shock and horror" on Chunk's face in that moment is real. Matuszak was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Audrey and Marvin Matuszak. But because of the many injuries hed sustained during his career, his heavy use of painkillers continued. A social outcast due to his unusual height (by adulthood, he stood 6'8 tall . He is not dating anyone. He had lived in North Carolina since 1982. 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. Seriously: The man used to order half a dozen eggs and half a pound of bacon for breakfast, in addition to his steady diet of Cheez Whiz smeared on bagels. Actor: The Goonies. He helped them win two Super Bowls (XI and XV), before retiring after spending the entire 1982 season on injured reserve. He was supervisor of the criminal informant program when he left to become a partner in the firm of Tyler & Stetter. He was born John Daniel Matuszak in Oak Creek, Wis. His heart momentarily stopped, and he came shockingly close to death. Once he retired, Matuszak tried to start a new chapter of his life, this time as an actor. According to the LA Times, he had an excuse for all of them, ranging from swerving to avoid a child to not knowing there was marijuana in the car. It was with the Missouri Tigers that he had his first real injury. Know his, Estimated Net Worth, Age, Biography Wikipedia Wiki . He prayed to stop growing, but he only grew taller. He was booted from the Houston Oilers after he tried to sign a contract to also play for the World Football Leagues Houston Texans at the same time. "I was going to have it presented to him at the meeting. John Matuszak was in an on-screen matchup with Barbara Bach in Caveman (1981). Still, he was happy to be free of the painkillers, and being black and blue on Mondays. He was trying really hard to keep things under control, Cozart said. An autopsy was inconclusive and further tests were scheduled. The pain in his body almost equaled the pain of not being able to be with his teammates on the field. He attended the University of Tampa and played for their football team. Known by the nickname The Tooz, the 68, 280 pound athlete was initially a hot prospect and was the first overall draft pick of the year in 1973. Another Golden Flashes senior, future six-time national championship coach Nick Saban, suffered a season-ending injury in October. In addition to his contract with the Oilers, he joined the Houston Texans of the World Football League (WFL), playing a total of seven plays before a restraining order was served to him during a game, barring Matuszak from playing for two teams at the same time. EARLE W. GRIFFITH Air Cargo Accountant Earle W. Griffith, 72, an official with Alexandria Masonic groups who was a retired accountant, died June 14 at Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria after a stroke. She was a member of the Mary Washington chapter No. 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. College football was the next logical step for Matuszak, but his 1.7 GPA wasn't good enough for his dream school, Iowa. According to the LA Times, during his sophomore year in college, Matuszak played reserve tight end on a football scholarship at the University of Missouri, but his career there was short-lived. Matuszak enjoyed "enough parties for twenty people's lives", and especially lived it up during the season onWednesdays, AKA "Tooz Day." How many games did John Matuszak play? By the time he became a professional athlete, Matuszak stood 6ft 8in (2.03m) and weighed over 280lb (130kg). Matuszak's character Sloth wears an Oakland Raiders shirt in some scenes. 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. On a particularly rowdy night, he was arrested for driving drunk and firing a gun at street signs. He was a graduate of the Powell Business School in his native Scranton, Pa., and Catholic University law school. Their disrespect motivated him to develop into a muscular young man, and Matuszak became the Wisconsin Class A state champion in the shot put with a throw of 58ft 11in (17.96m). His biography, Cruisin' with the Tooz, written with Steve Delsohn, was published in 1987. Cookies help us deliver our Services. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',132,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-banner-1-0'); According toCelebrity Net Worth, Matuszak had an estimated net worth equivalent to $400 thousand when he died in 1990. He was an accountant with Air Cargo Inc. of Washington for 35 years until he retired in 1979. [3], Matuszak was the first pick of the 1973 NFL Draft, selected by the Houston Oilers. He was 38. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. John Matuszak (October 25, 1950 - June 17, 1989) was a football player and actor who portrayed Sloth in The Goonies. He represented them for the 1973 season and moved to Houston, Texas, in 1974. Matuszak also played for various NFL teams; his longest stint of six years having been spent with . 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. After Washington showed him the business end of the cleat, John Matuszak was a free agent, and the Oakland Raiders were kind of desperate. How many get to win two Super Bowls and become famous as an iconic film character like Sloth? So in a way, those mean kids gave the world "The Tooz," the guy who would not only become one of the NFL's most charismatic football players, but also one of the most memorable movie icons of the 1980s. He was also a member of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church in Alexandria. Mr. Matuszak's off-field antics often gained him as much notoriety as his play. With Dan Devine leaving Missouri for the Green Bay Packers that same year, Matuszak no longer had a spot on the team, and his scholarship was revoked by new coach Al Onofrio. John Matuszak got into quite a bit of trouble in his life. Matuszak was notorious for sneaking women into his room at training camp and even somehow onto the team plane. John Matuszaks income source is mostly from being a successful . is 2.01m . OnJune 17, 1989, he accidentallyoverdosed on Darvocet, a combination of Tylenol and a painkiller called propoxyphene. The university didn't like that, and revoked his scholarship. Why was his stint in Washington so short-lived? Matuszak later moved to the University of Missouri on a football scholarship and represented the Missouri Tigers in his sophomore college year. ", "John was really nice to me and it was fun to work with him," said Jeff Cohen, who played Chunk in the iconic film. He coached football at a Christian summer camp and spent the evenings reading Bible verses with them. Simpson on HBO's 1st & Ten, until his 'roided-up character died of a heart attack on the practice field. 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.". Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. Carter Reso and Navy Cmdr. -- these are the real bad boys of NFL lore", "Matuszak's Death Caused By Accidental Overdose", "Here is the Butt of Sloth from "the Goonies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Matuszak&oldid=1146496367, Season 10 Episode 18 "Promotion Commotion", Season 7 Episode 5 "No More Mr. Nice Guy", This page was last edited on 25 March 2023, at 07:11. The following season, the Raiders weren't able to repeat their success, and by 1982, Tooz's body was telling him it was time to wrap up his career, even if he didn't want to. Survivors include two children by his first marriage, Nancy Stetter Graham and Grant Hamilton Stetter, both of Falls Church; two stepsons, Navy Capt. To make matters worse, he was a shy boy struggling with self-esteem issues and an awkward body: Matuszak was 6'1" by the age of 12. In a lot of ways, Sloth was not just the on-screen alter ego of the former football star, he was the actual manifestation of the person Matuszak was on the inside: a lovable giant who was also a generous friend. All hell broke loose. "It's full of 30-day and 60-day chips. How many men get to work under the genius of both John Madden and Steven Spielberg? American Football (American) Player John Matuszak was born John Daniel Matuszak on 25th October, 1950 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and passed away on 17th Jun 1989 Burbank, California aged 38. John Matuszak is a member of the following lists: American film actors, American television actors and 1950 births. ; two sisters, Gertrude Robey of Alexandria, and Thelma Rogers of Winchester, Va.; and six grandchildren. I take nothing, not even sleeping pills., Ive hit damn near bottom. 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. 42, Order of the Eastern Star. Matuszak was suspended for the rest of the season and thrown out of his fraternity. He started playing football in the eighth grade, and became a star in high school. 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. LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Former Oakland Raider John Matuszak, the hard-hitting, hard-living football player who played in two Super Bowls before becoming an actor, died at age 38 of unknown causes, officials said Sunday. He then joined the Raiders as a free agent just before the second game of the 1976 season. Mr. Griffith was a native of Washington and a graduate of George Mason High School in Falls Church. [9] Matuszak's character Sloth wears an Oakland Raiders shirt in some scenes. The reason for his death was an overdose of a prescription painkiller called Darvocet, which led to his heart failure. He pleaded guilty, but then told a reporter: "Some guy purposely caused an accident." The family moved from downtown Milwaukee to Oak Creek, Wisconsin, where Matuszak's classmates ridiculed him as a gawky beanpole. The report also said that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart) and bronchopneumonia had been contributing factors in Matuszak's death. John Matuszak, better known by the Family name John Daniel Matuszak, was a popular Actor, Model, Producer. "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. Of course, he played Sloth in the Goonies, but Matuszak was also involved in a number of other acclaimed films. Matuszak was selected to the All-American Team 1972. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. He had numerous guest appearances in TV shows such as Perfect Strangers, M*A*S*H, The Dukes of Hazzard, Hunter, Silver Spoons, The A-Team, 1st & Ten and Miami Vice. 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. Connect any celebrity with John Matuszak to see how closely they are linked romantically! He then transferred to the University of Missouri for Coach Dan Devine, with whom he had a tough relationship. After he retired, most of the wild antics came to an end. It might as well have read, "Go ahead and rough up some more people because we think it's funny." His one sister also had the disease. His biography, Cruisin' with the Tooz, written with Steve Delsohn, was published in 1987. 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. Before he made his way to the silver screen as Sloth, John Matuszak was a professional football player. In June of 1989, it appeared that John Matuszak did "go back.". 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. At his funeral, his pastor noted that he'd often donated time to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. His wild partying eventually landed him in court. Paramedics attempted to perform CPR, but Matuszak's chest was so huge it was "like hitting a rock wall.". When they offered the rookie a contract, they lowballed him. At 6'8 and nearly 300 pounds, football star-turned-actor John "The Tooz" Matuszak was beefy enough to portray Mama Fratelli's grotesquely . Stephanie Cozart Burton was born on 10 November 1953 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. They loved playing with Matuszak so much that they would sometimes mess up his makeup, which took hours to re-apply. According to the LA Times, after the Matuszak family moved from downtown Milwaukee to the village of Oak Creek, Matuszak would often come home from school crying because the other kids were picking on him for being a "gawky beanpole.". John Matuszak. But afterward, he gradually began to fall back into his hard-partying ways. Matuszak apparently hadnt learned his lesson about drugs and alcohol because he was dropped from that team as well when coach George Allen expressed concerns over is diet of Vodka and Valium, the breakfast of champions., Finally, Matuszak ended up playing for the Oakland Raiders under the famous coach John Madden. Nothing seemed able to stop the other kids from teasing him incessantly. He is from United States. 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." 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 and three sisters in Wisconsin but his Super Bowl rings will go to his nephews. John Daniel Tooz Matuszak was an American professional football defensive lineman in the National Football League and Third period, Jon Keyworth goes left end for eight stopped by John Matuszak Credit: Denver Post Matuszak got into an argument with the driver of the other car, then knocked him out cold before fleeing the scene. One local remembered him pushing aside the town's mayor so he could sign an autograph for a child. 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 . His marriage to Patricia Ann Stetter ended in divorce. She was also a member of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Silver Spring. 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 acted professionally in the 1980s, making appearances in feature films and on television, often portraying football players or gentle giants. Still, it was fun especially since Matuszak was a devoted Beatles fan. During one of his football training camps, he added Valium to his beer, which nearly killed him. But it's also true that it wasn't just the pain that led to their son's struggles with illegal and legal substances years of hard partying and drug abuse had steered him too far down a path that was extremely difficult to come back from. We're here to examine it, from his famous role in The Goonies to his time passing the pigskin. 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. Seven years later, Matuszak would join Belushi on the list of actors who died in their prime. He had to spend five hours a day in the make-up chair getting into character. John Matuszak's personal life was also affected by all the hard-partying. How much did John Matuszak weigh when playing? But the man who played Sloth led a troubled life. 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. With Devine leaving Missouri for the Green Bay Packers that same year, Matuszak no longer had a spot on the team, and his scholarship was revoked by new head coach Al Onofrio. Matuszak retired in 1982 and focused entirely on acting. Now imagine a Rottweiler doing this to a beagle and you might get some sense of the size difference between the two men Robiskie was a full 70 pounds lighter than Matuszak, so the smaller man responded violently: by grabbing a metal crutch and breaking it over the larger man's head. Year one didn't go so hot: They won a single game, and lost 13. It was followed by his appearances in the movieCaveman(1981) andThe Ice Pirates(1984). He then joined Fort Dodge Junior College and played football in his first year. 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. 1 draft choice. 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. According tosportscasting.com, Matuszak also had a life-threatening incident before his death. 1 seed for Division 1 baseball playoffs, High school tennis: Southern Section playoff pairings. He was in AA Alcoholics Anonymous and he was trying his damnedest to succeed. To report about any issues in our articles, please feel free toContact Us. Luckily, his coach rushed him to the hospital and saved his life. Matuszakdied at the age of 38on 17 June 1989. Matuszak did not see much playing time at Mizzou because the starting tight end was an excellent blocker. His life may have been a rocky road, but the Tooz cruised through it, and there was rarely a dull moment along the way. 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. The reason for his death was an overdose of a prescription painkiller called Darvocet, which led to his heart failure. The county coroners office found that his death had resulted from an accidental overdose of a narcotic painkiller, aggravated by an enlarged heart and pneumonia. Mr. Stetter, who lived in Calabash, N.C., worked for the FBI here for 16 years before retiring in 1952. After being cut by the Redskins, Matuszak's football career was in limbo. As an actor, he played in both films and television, appearing first as O.W. He attended the University of Tampa and played for their football team. His part was more complex than he could have imagined. It was Jakes first football game. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'biographyhost_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',164,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-medrectangle-4-0'); For formal education, his parents enrolled him at Oak Creek High School. Matuszak was born in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. After that he ended up at theUniversity of Tampa, where he became an All-American and was eventually the No. There were also traces of cocaine found in his bloodstream. John Matuszak Clips from MASH TV show (2006) Hallmark Channelhttps://www.patreon.com/VHSVCRPlease support me on Patreonhttps://teespring.com/stores/vhs-vcrCh. According to our Database, He has no children. and as recognizable as Indiana Jones. 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. John Matuszak has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. He prayed to stop growing, but he only grew taller. His battles with the church arent over, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! 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. At 6-foot-9, Mr. Matuszak, who played with the Raiders from 1976 to 1981, was an imposing sight on the field, staring down opponents with a black-bearded scowl before shooting off the defensive line with great speed for his 280 pounds. 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. Boredom set in quickly: He was alone and depressed, desperately missing the joy and structure of football. With the Masons, Mr. Griffith was a Royal Patron of the Order of the Amaranth, Alexandria Court No. Mrs. Spencer was a native of Putney, Vt., and a graduate of the American International College in Springfield, Mass. [7] In his autobiography, Matuszak stated that he used drugs and abused alcohol while playing professional football. Matuszak, 38, died in June at St. Josephs Medical Center in Burbank. to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. But he still ended up with a solid career. And just in case there wasn't already enough tragedy in this story, here's an extra helping of it for you football injuries require pain medication, and Matuszak was one human being who should have stayed as far away from pain medication as possible.
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