From The Archives: 1987 Reggie White

This story shows his visit to Tyner High and his talent for celebrity impressions

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – He just may have been the best football player to ever come out of Chattanooga.  And he became a Chattanooga legend.

Reggie White was a mountain of a man, both physically and spiritually.

His resume made him a national star in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

1975-1979: played at Howard High, became All-American, top-rated recruit out of Tennessee

1980-1983: played for Tennesse Vols, setting two sack records, All-American, SEC Player of the Year, Lombardi Finalist

1984-85: USFL, Reggie stayed in Tennessee for two seasons playing for the Memphis Showboats in the new league

1985-2000: NFL, his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Packers included one Super Bowl Championship (Packers), Defensive Player of the Year (twice), Pro Bowls and the NFL Hall of Fame.

Post-football career: Reggie got involved with FCA at UT and continued after his retirement.  He became an ordained Baptist Minister and earned the nickname Minister of Defense in college.

Reggie lived in Knoxville after graduating and eventually moved to North Carolina.  But he came home numerous times, where he still had family. The city named Reggie White Boulevard in his honor at Finley Stadium.

This story from our Archives was on one return to Chattanooga when he visited students at Tyner High.  He shared his faith and even showed kids his ability to do impressions with the stars of the day (Elvis, Rodney Dangerfield and Howard Cosell.)

Sadly, like many pro football players before and after him, Reggie did not live a long life.

He died in 2004 at the age of just 43.