The late Andre Waters had a 12-year NFL career that included stints with the Eagles (1984-93) and Arizona Cardinals (1994-95).
With the Eagles: A 5-11, 200-pound, hard-hitting strong safety who played in Philadelphia from 1984-93... Became the team's starter in 1986, the same season Buddy Ryan became head coach... Led the team in tackles from 1986-88 and 1991... Helped inspire a 1992 win over the Raiders with a passionate talk reminding teammates how they had dedicated season to the memory of Jerome Brown.
Before the Eagles: Born in Belle Glade, Fla., and attended Pahokee High School (along with former Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson)... Small-college All-America as a Cheyney senior.
After the Eagles: Two seasons with Arizona before retiring after the 1995 season... Coaching stops at Morgan State, University of South Florida, Alabama State and Saint Augustine's College before taking a job as defensive coordinator at Division II Fort Valley (Ga.) State... Slated to assist Buddy Ryan at a January collegiate all-star game in Las Vegas.
Playing career highlights:
15 interceptions in 156 games... An 89-yard, game-winning kickoff return against Washington as a rookie in 1984... His other TD came in 1989 when he took a lateral from William Frizzell after Reggie White caused a fumble by Giants quarterback Phil Simms.
Did you know? He was fined several times for illegal hits and other shenanigans. His 1988 shot on Rams quarterback Jim Everett led to a rule prohibiting defensive players from hitting quarterbacks below the waist while they are still in the pocket. For a while, it was unofficially termed the "Andre Waters Rule"... Incurred a $10,000 penalty for a low hit on Minnesota quarterback Rich Gannon in 1990 and a $7,500 fine for instigating a postgame fight with Saints wide receiver Eric Martin in 1991.
Andre Waters, a defensive back who spent most of his 12 seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Nevember 20, 2006, the medical examiner's office said. He was 44.
A statement from the medical examiner's office said Waters' body was found at about 1:30 a.m. at his north Tampa home. He had shot himself in the head.
Toxicology reports were ordered and results will be available in four to six weeks, the medical examiner's office said.
Waters' body was found by his girlfriend, said Hillsborough County sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter. The woman's name was not available, and the sheriff's office had no further details, Carter said.
Waters' death also was confirmed by Fort Valley State University, where he worked as an assistant coach.
Waters joined the Eagles out of Cheyney State in 1984 and played with them at cornerback and safety through 1993. He spent his last two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who worked with Waters in Philadelphia, called his death a tragic loss.
"The personnel staff there when we got here said, 'This guy will never play for you. He'll never play for you.' And he proved everybody wrong," Fisher said. "He had a huge heart, and this is a loss."
Waters was in his first year coaching at Fort Valley State. Many students, including football players, are not on campus this week because of Thanksgiving.
"Everybody has been in such shock," Fort Valley State spokeswoman Cindy Gambill said.
Football coach Deondri Clark lauded Waters for an "outstanding" college career that enabled him to make the NFL.
Waters, who was born in Belle Glade, Fla., also coached at Morgan State, South Florida and Alabama State before coming to Fort Valley State the summer 2006.
Since the former National Football League player Andre Waters killed himself in November, an explanation for his suicide has remained a mystery. But after examining remains of Mr. Waters’s brain, a neuropathologist in Pittsburgh is claiming that Mr. Waters had sustained brain damage from playing football and he says that led to his depression and ultimate death.
Posted By: Pedro Barry
Thursday, January 25th 2007 at 3:17PM
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