Former Giants linebacker Brad Van Pelt dies

[madinmaryland]

http://www.adn.com/24hour/sports/story/694187.html

OWOSSO, Mich. - Brad Van Pelt, a five-time Pro Bowl player with the New York Giants who helped form one of the NFL's best linebacking corps in the early 1980s, has died. He was 57.

Van Pelt was found dead Tuesday by his fiancee at his home, the Giants said Wednesday. He died from an apparent heart attack, the team said.

A second-round draft choice out of Michigan State in 1973, Van Pelt played 14 seasons in the NFL, 11 with the Giants. Although he played on only one winning team in New York, he made the Pro Bowl five consecutive seasons from 1976-1980.

Van Pelt's only winning season with the Giants came in 1981, when Lawrence Taylor was drafted and the team made the playoffs for the first time in 18 seasons. Van Pelt played strong side linebacker with Taylor on the weak side and Harry Carson and Brian Kelley in the middle of a group called the "Crunch Bunch."

Van Pelt left the Giants in 1983 and spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Raiders before finishing his career with Cleveland in 1986. He played in 184 regular season games and had 20 interceptions and 24 1/2 sacks.

"Brad was a very good friend," said Carson, who like Taylor is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

..snip

So young. RIP.

[MrPerson]

1. Jesus Christ I remember that guy.

[joeybee12]

2. I remember him too...makes you realize how quickly time flies...

...sorry to hear of his passing. RIP

[NJmaverick]

3. This is very sad

he was a favorite, amoung long time Giants fans. He was a class guy that was a ray of sunshine during the terrible Giants era known as the 70s.

[joeybee12]

4. That's probably why I remember him so well...it was really during a very shitty

period for the Giants, right before their renaissance, so someone good really stood out.

[DaveinMD]

5. he was still there

when they just started to get good, but was traded before the cheampionship season. A charter member of the Crunch Bunch.