Bobby Futrell: Dead at 29
Leo James
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TAMPA -- Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner back Bobby Futrell comitted
suicide at his home Sunday after an argument with his wife, a Hillsbo-
rough County Sheriff's Office spokesman said.
Futrell, 29, had an argument with his wife, Patricia, Sunday after-
noon, said Jack Espinosa of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office.
"She apparently threatened to leave him," Espinosa said. "He went
into the garage, barricaded himself inside and hung himself with an el-
ectric cord."
County rescue workers were called to the house at 3:06 p.m. They
took Futrell to AMI Town & Country Hospital, where he was pronounced
dead a short time later.
Futrell lived in the Country Way subdivision in northwest Hillsbo-
rough. He had one child, Brian, 7.
Espinosa said the sheriff's office considered Futrell's death a
suicide but said a routine investigation was continuing.
Futrell spent parts of five seasons with the Buccaneers before be-
ing waived early in 1990.
During that time, he played a variety of roles for the team, serv-
ing as a kick returner and a starting and reserve defensive back.
Futrell has two of the six longest punt returns in Bucs team his-
tory and finished 12th in the NFC in kickoff returns in 1987.
His best season with the Bucs came in 1988 when he started 15 games
at cornerback and recorded a career-high 72 tackles. He finished 3rd in
in the NFC in punt returns that season, averaging 10.5 yards per return.
Futrell signed with the Bucs as a free agent in 1986 after playing
in the USFL for Michigan in 1984 and Tampa Bay and Oakland in 1985.
After being released by the Bucs two seasons ago, he had a brief
preseason stint with the Detroit Lions in 1991.
In February of this year, he signed to play with the Tampa Bay Out-
laws of the now-defunct Professional Spring Football League.
Futrell, from Ahoskie, N.C., played college football at Elizabeth
City (N.C.) State, an NCAA Division II program.
Futrell devoted much of his free time to charity causes and was es-
pecially active with the Mental Health Association and the Boys and
Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay.
"Obviously, we're very saddened," Bucs spokesman Rick Odioso said.
"Bobby was a friendly and level-headed individual who made the most of
his abilities as a player."
"It's a real tragedy."
-- staff writers James Harper and
Rick Stroud contributed to this
report.
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I had the opportunity to meet Bobby Futrell. He was a very nice guy. I
hope that, as this summer begins to unfold, this helps me remember that
a lot of these guys are 23-, 24-, and 25-year old kids, not automatons
running around down there solely for my entertainment. Moreso, hopeful-
ly, somewhere, early on, in the process that takes kids (like yours and
mine) from Pop Warner's, through High School, College, and Professional
football; someone will stop treating these kids like commodities to be
sold OR CONSUMED and help them prepare for life. Granted, most of the
thousands of kids out there each year won't get far enough to be hurt
too badly. Some will be injured, most will be disappointed, but few
will have their lives destroyed. But, hopefully, one day, there won't
be any more kids who almost make it all the way through the process,
can't quite do it, and are not equipped to deal with it. Hopefully, one
day, there won't be any more Bobby Futrells.
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|Leopold E. James | "A heart, a soul, AND | AT&T Paradyne |
|ph: (813) 530-8425 | a mind are terrible | P.O. Box 2826, LG-132,|
|l...@pdn.paradyne.com | things to waste." | Largo, FL 34649 (USA) |