Dennis Byrd
Former Professional Football Player
Birthdate: Oct 05, 1966
High School: Mustang High School
Yearbook photos of Dennis Byrd from Mustang High School
Dennis DeWayne Byrd (October 5, 1966 – October 15, 2016) was a former NFL defensive end and defensive tackle who played for the New York Jets. He graduated from Mustang High School, in Mustang, OK, in 1984, where he participated in football, track, and baseball and was named an All-State defensive end as a senior. Byrd was selected by the Jets in 1989, in the second round of the NFL draft. He played for four seasons before succumbing to a career-ending neck injury in November of 1992, during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Initially paralyzed, Byrd spent months undergoing physical therapy and learned to walk again. He appeared at the Jets’ home opener the following season as an honorary captain for the coin toss. Byrd co-wrote an autobiographical book – Rise and Walk: The Trial and Triumph of Dennis Byrd– in 1993, which was later adapted as a made-for-TV movie. His jersey – number 90 – was retired by the Jets in 2012. Byrd tragically lost his life in an automobile accident on October 15, 2016.
Source: Wikipedia
