The coach said he managed to get back to his feet, still surrounded by the team. MB: Brandon was revered pretty quickly for the obstacles that he overcame. Q: What was the relationship like between your brother and folks from Arkansas? [2] Death Eleven days after being drafted, he was killed in a car accident near Alpena, Arkansas on his way back to his hometown of Harrison one night after a workout in Fayetteville. As a part of the program, the Colts will hire a Dungy Fellow for the offense and the defense. Burlsworth was selected in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts but he was killed eleven days later in a car accident near Alpena, Arkansas on April 28, 1999. Burlsworth's Arkansas jersey number 77 was retired by the Colts for Hall-of-Famer Jim Parker, but Burlsworth's memorial picture ran on page 77 of the Indianapolis media guide. A "BB" sticker inside the club logo was worn on the rear of helmets that season. Coleman recalled seeing Ratliff, who was over 300 pounds, dunk a basketball with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He wanted to buy mom a nice house. After his rise to prominence at Arkansas, Brandon Burlsworth seemed poised to make the leap to the NFL. Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth was born in Harrison, Arkansas, on September 20, 1976 to Leo Burlsworth and Barbara Burlsworth. Now, a careless fumble? Burlsworth was a walk-on offensive lineman at the University of Arkansas who, throughout his career at Arkansas, went from being a red-shirt out-of-shape freshman to a player that the Indianapolis Colts would draft. Both press conferences will be streamed live on Colts.com, the Colts mobile app, @Colts on Twitter and the Colts Facebook page. Brandon Burlsworth Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements Brandon Burlsworth Rose From Walk-On To All-American - Sportscasting Sad to see the pain still inside him. Brandon's vehicle collided with an oncoming 18-wheeler, forcing him to re-enter his lane. We're going to be fine.' After walking on, Burlsworth became an All-American and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts to help protect Peyton Manning. https://t.co/FFBoin68fO, Subscribe to our newsletter to get daily updates, Tom Rinaldi interviews Barbara Burlsworth, mother of the late Brandon Burlsworth. Mock Draft Monday, our weekly roundup of experts' predictions for who the Colts will take in the NFL Draft, is back with the NFL Combine getting underway in Indianapolis this week. Do it the right way when no one else is looking. Burlsworth film moves to Netflix - hotsr.com What you do in between, determines your legacy, so make sure you give it everything you've got until you hear that whistle. Tice, now the athletic director for Huntsville, said he's never donned another helmet. However, once Marty stopped listening to him it returned to less detail. Click to reveal There is some footage of the real Brandon after the last credits. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. The now-retired Mudd could be forgiven if he could not remember Burlsworth vividly. Tragically, at the age of 22, 10 days after the draft, he was killed in a car accident on April 28th, 1999 while on his way home from the University of Arkansas to attend church with his mom. Cast [ edit] by Clay Henry | August 27, 2016 at 1:00 a.m. Arkansas' Brandon Burlsworth tells a story to teammates before the beginning of practice at Thunder Field on Dec. 30, 1998 . HARRISON For one more Saturday, Brandon Burlsworth was with his Arkansas football teammates and coaches and surrounded by family and friends. Brandon Burlsworth Net Worth Draft but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later. We always beat those guys. You can say that if you werent a part of it and you didnt see what I saw. That Burlsworth was in the accident was completely like the unselfish person who established a cult following while a Razorback. Administration enforces faculty reductions to rightsize Larger than life: Family, friends, co-workers Student Health Services offers nurse practitioner, Bison basketball teams drive season further, Police investigate apartment shootings in Searcy, New shopping opportunities come to Searcy. "We attended the First Assembly in Harrison and Brandon was always there, starting at about 10 years old. FIFA World Cup - Best Goals from Every Angle, Draw for the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, FOX SPORTS, SPEED, SPEED.COM & 2023 Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. Tice also told of a time when he'd become agitated with another lineman during practice and told the team to watch. Please read our Terms of Use or contact us. Some called the Vols lucky after the Arkansas game. "I remember he was the first college lineman I looked at on video that year," said Howard Mudd, then the Colts' line coach and one of the game's best ever. She smiles when she sees the many thousands of children and others who've benefited enormously from the charitable Brandon Burlsworth Foundation and from his once having lived a blessed and honorable life among us. Brandon was Brandon Burlsworth, an All-American offensive guard who began his career at Arkansas as a walk-on and was known for his thick, black glasses. While Ratliffs NFL future was never a realistic option because of his myriad injuries, Burlsworth had an incredibly bright future ahead of him. She agreed, and the night. Brandon was a guy who could have been from anywhere. Billy Ratliff hit the lineman and he stepped back on his foot. You want to just tell the story as if no one had ever heard it before. It was the offenses turn after Ratliff proved prophetic. died in a car crash 11 days after . I never lost my faith and that first night, after everyone had gone home, I grabbed my wife and my moms hand and we prayed. After his death, Burlsworth's #77 became only the second retired number in Razorback football history. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. He definitely was, Coleman said. He continued to grow and was a good 6-foot-2, 260 pounds in his senior season. One of the most unusual aspects of the Arkansas fumble is that Ratliff shouldnt have been in the game at all. Among UT fans, his name is synonymous with the Arkansas fumble and what it meant to UTs 1998 season. Safety Fred White didnt see it that way. If that offends you, then you probably wouldn't like this movie. Brandon burlsworths first act as a wealthy nfl offensive tackle was going to be to buy himself a bigger. Marty Burlsworth remembers the day Brian Reindl came to Harrison to pitch his idea of making a movie about the life of Burlsworth's late brother, Brandon. As spelled out in an ESPN college football video, Burlsworth was never the most athletic guy; during high school, he was slow, soft, and didnt see significant playing time until his junior year. This is incredible. In his junior year, he split time with a senior on the offensive line for half the season and then became the full-time starter. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. He was traveling to Harrison from Fayetteville to . We certainly didnt write the script, but we felt our opinions were always welcome. The youth center in Harrison, Arkansas . He became a three-year starter and was eventually named an All-American in 1998. A dream shattered by tragedy - Tulsa World Brandon Burlsworth Car Accident Details ( Marty Burlsworth ) From left to right, Brandon Burlsworth, Grant Garrett and Russ Brown pose for a picture in 1997. INDIANAPOLIS By now, Brandon Burlsworth likely would be retired, probably a world champion and former Pro Bowler and, possibly, according to his brother, Marty, headed to Canton, Ohio. I was high as a kite. At halftime of the team's season-opener against Buffalo, Colts owners Jim and Meg Irsay presented Burlsworth's family and Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles with checks for $5,000 each. This book is the inspiring biography of a local boy who makes good. Request more info or view our 3D Seat Viewer below! "He listened, then just did it," said Tice. Burlsworth tragically lost his life in a car accident April 28, 1999, going from Fayetteville to a Wednesday night church service in his hometown of Harrison. "Through the years, we have stayed close. We're very appreciative of Mr. Irsay and the bond his organization has with us. My mother always has gotten a Colts Christmas card. We've kept a feeling of being a part of Brandon's team.". "He stayed around the house and left for Fayetteville on Tuesday," Vickie says. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these. The fans respected him for starting out as a walk-on, working hard to become a three-year starter and finishing his career as an All-American. Carrolton (AP) - Former Arkansas offensive guard BRANDON BURLSWORTH died in a car crash as he headed home to Harrison from Fayetteville, officials said. Brandon was tragically killed in a car accident, crushing all who . I think about that all the time.. Fatal crash robs Colts of a rookie barely met - tampabay.com He keeps getting knocked down and coming back.. Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth (September 20, 1976 - April 28, 1999) was an offensive lineman for the Arkansas Razorbacks football team from 1995 to 1998. Greater misses key fact - Arkansas Online Chorus travels for Mississippi performance, Football alumni receive Division II honors, College of Education introduces new course. The offensive guard had been named an All-American and a two-time All-SEC First Team player. Q: What was your involvement with the movie process from the beginning until now? Its just amazing to see the impact on these kids lives and the smiles on their faces by introducing them to things that we take for granted.. Who was Brandon Burlsworth? Died in a Car Accident, Aged 22, Cause of . "He'd be completely blown away by all this attention focused on him. If Arkansas could just run the clock and punt the ball deep, theyd likely upset the top-ranked Vols in Neyland Stadium. He loved the kids, Marty Burlsworth said. On the line, Tarik Glenn and Adam Meadows were at tackles. Steve McKinney was one guard. Jeff Saturday was a street free agent, and Burlsworth could have helped the guard position for years. The Colts also announced all members of the team will have a special decal on their helmets in a tribute to Burlsworth. The play was unpredictable, right? The Time When Rush Limbaugh Helped the Arkansas Football Program . Brandon Burlsworth | Found a Grave If it does not offend you, then you should enjoy it.