Assassinated

Jack Tatum, the man who made Darryl Stingley famous, has died of a heart attack at the age of 61. The former Oakland Raiders defensive back helped cement the renegade image of the Raiders and earned himself the nickname the Assassin for his brutal tackles, especially the hit in 1978 preseason game that left Stingley, a New England Patriots wide receiver, a quadriplegic. Although Tatum was not penalized by referees or the league office, he was reviled for his lack of public remorse, and for only reaching out to Stingley in an attempt to sell his biography. Tatum frequently had his actions narrated by John Facenda, including a hit in Super Bowl XI that knocked Vikings wide-out Sammy White’s helmet off, and the hit on Pittsburgh receiver Frenchy Fuqua in the 1972 divisional playoff that allowed Franco Harris to make the Immaculate Reception.