The Titans and the NFL lost an all-time legend, Frank Wycheck, on Saturday. The former Tennessee star was found dead in his home at age 52.
The key player in the “Music City Miracle” was either loved or hated him, depending on who you cheer for. Some may continue to say it was a forward pass. Regardless, he cemented his place in NFL history before retiring 20 years ago.
Wycheck stepped away from the field relatively early, and his death also came at a young age. Here’s what to know as the football world mourns the loss of the tight end.
What happened to Frank Wycheck?
Wycheck’s family revealed in a statement he died Saturday, Dec. 9.
It appears as though Wycheck fell and hit his head in his Chattanooga, Tenn., home sometime Saturday and was found that afternoon. His family will be working with experts on brain injury studies in football, particularly concerning traumatic brain injuries and CTE. Wycheck suffered two concussions in a month during his final season in the NFL in 2003 before deciding to retire at age 32.
Wycheck played 11 seasons in the NFL, beginning with Washington in 1993 before signing with the Houston Oilers in 1995. He moved to Nashville in 1997 as the franchise became the Tennessee Titans and spent the remainder of his career there. He was a three-time Pro Bowl tight end, though he never won a Super Bowl ring. He played in the championship in 2000, an appearance that was made possible by the “Music City Miracle.”
In the AFC wild card playoff game against the Bills on Jan. 8, 2000, Tennessee scored the winning touchdown on a kickoff return. The ball was handed to Wycheck, who then threw a lateral to Kevin Dyson. Seventy-five yards later, and the rest is history.
Wycheck began regular appearances on Nashville sports radio before he even retired as a player and had a second career as a broadcaster, including 12 seasons as a radio color analyst on Titans games. He stepped down from those duties just before the 2017 preseason for what the team said would be a one-year break, but he never returned to the role.
In a February 2017 interview with Nashville Fox affiliate WZTV, Wycheck estimated he had suffered 25 concussions during his career and said he suffered from migraines and depression. He told the station he was “sure” he had CTE.
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