Adios Senor Sack...former Steeler 1st Round Pick Gabe Rivera dies at age 57

[RuthlessBurgher]

Former Steelers, Texas Tech DT Gabe Rivera, who was paralyzed in car accident, dies at 57

Tom Schad, USA TODAY

Published 11:57 a.m. ET July 17, 2018
Updated 12:42 p.m. ET July 17, 2018

Former Texas Tech football star and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Gabriel Rivera died Monday at the age of 57.

Rivera's death, which was first reported by KENS-TV in San Antonio, was confirmed Tuesday morning by Texas Tech, where he was a consensus All-America selection in 1982.

"Gabriel went home to the Lord at 9:25 (p.m.)," his wife, Nancy Rivera, told KENS-TV in a text message.

Rivera, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012, had been in critical condition in recent days due to a perforated bowel, according to the television station.

A San Antonio native who earned the nickname "Señor Sack," Rivera was one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the country during his time at Texas Tech, earning All-America and Southwest Conference defensive player of the year honors in 1982. He was picked No. 21 overall in the 1983 NFL draft by the Steelers.


Today, we mourn the passing of Red Raider legend and @TexasTechFB Ring of Honor member, Gabe Rivera. #WreckEmpic.twitter.com/0PdZ0kZe0R

— Texas Tech Red Raiders (@TechAthletics) July 17, 2018


But then, after recording two sacks in six games as a rookie in Pittsburgh, Rivera was paralyzed in a car crash on his way home from practice. According to KENS-TV, he was legally intoxicated at the time and crossed into an adjacent lane, colliding with another car.

"From the accident in ‘83, it took maybe five, six, eight years to get control (of my life)," he told the Associated Press in 2012. "At one time, I just changed my life and started going forward."

More recently, Rivera spent his time volunteering as a tutor with Inner City Development Center, a nonprofit in San Antonio, according to KENS.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/steelers/2018/07/17/gabe-rivera-steelers-texas-tech-football-paralyzed-wreck-dies-nfl/791825002/

[fordfixer]

R.I.P. Señor Sack

[The Man of Steel]

RIP. I know we could have gotten Dan Marino or Darrell Green with that pick but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.

[Ghost]

I remember when he was drafted. I was just a kid. It was a big deal and everyone thought he was going to be the next insanely great D lineman, in the mold of the Steel Curtain greats.

[SteelBucks]

I remember when he was drafted. I was just a kid. It was a big deal and everyone thought he was going to be the next insanely great D lineman, in the mold of the Steel Curtain greats.

Same here. I was very young but remember the hype around the guy. It only grew after he got a couple of sacks early on. What could have been...

RIP Gabe.

[Oviedo]

So sad. I contend to this day that he was going to be special and losing him set back our defense for years. RIP.

[Iron City Inc.]

He was a talent and I know the sample size was so small but he looked good for a rook. Heard he had his life together and enjoyed working with kids and found joy in that. Very sad for him,his family and for all of us his Steeler family.