Kenneth Sims, the No. 1 general choose of the New England Patriots within the 1982 NFL Draft and star on the College of Texas, died on the age of 65, the Patriots announced. Sims had been battling an sickness and handed away in his sleep at his dwelling on Friday.
“Very unhappy day with the passing of our Longhorn Legend and College Football Corridor of Famer Kenneth Sims,” the official Texas Football account wrote on X. “Our ideas & prayers exit to his household, mates, and teammates.”
Sims, who was inducted into the School Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2021, was a dominant drive for the Longhorns. After backing up future Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer Steve McMichael and Invoice Acker, the defensive sort out rose to prominence throughout his junior season the place he notched 131 tackles and was named an All-American. He adopted that breakout marketing campaign with one other All-American season as a senior and have become the primary Longhorn to win the Lombardi Award. He was additionally the highest defensive vote-getter for the Heisman Trophy throughout that 1981 season.
Texas went 10-1-1 throughout Sims’ last collegiate season which culminated with a win within the 1982 Cotton Bowl.
That every one led to Sims changing into the No. 1 general choose of the Patriots in 1982 and would go on to play eight seasons with the group. In all, Sims performed 74 profession video games for New England together with 64 begins. He tallied 17 sacks over his tenure, which included a 5.5-sack season in his 13 video games performed in 1985. Sadly, Sims broke his leg that season, which prevented him from enjoying in Super Bowl XX, by which the Chicago Bears defeated the Patriots.
In a submit on social media, the Patriots wrote they’re “deeply saddened by the passing” of Sims.
