Former Tennessee Titans tight end Frank Wycheck, who was best known for his role in the “Music City Miracle,” died Saturday. He was 52.
Per a statement from his family that was shared by the Titans, Wycheck appears to have fallen “inside his home in Chattanooga, Tenn. and hit his head on Saturday morning. He was found unresponsive that afternoon.”
Wycheck became famous for his part in the Titans’ AFC wild-card game against the visiting Buffalo Bills on Jan. 8, 2000.
After the Bills kicked a field goal to seize a 16-15 lead with 16 seconds to play, Tennessee tried its hand at a little bit of trickery. Wycheck was handed the ball from fullback Lorenzo Neal with 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and tossed it across the field to Kevin Dyson, who raced for a touchdown to give the Titans a 22-16 victory.
Tennessee advanced to Super Bowl XXXIV before dropping a 23-16 decision to the St. Louis Rams on Jan. 30.
A Philadelphia native, Wycheck was selected by Washington in the sixth round of the 1993 NFL Draft out of Maryland and spent two seasons with the club. The three-time Pro Bowl selection then joined the Houston Oilers and remained with the team through its move to Tennessee and retired as a member of the club following the 2003 season. He was named to the Titans’ Ring of Honor.
Wycheck had 505 catches for 5,126 yards and 28 touchdowns in 155 career games (135 starts) with Washington and the Houston/Tennessee franchise.
Wycheck’s family said, in the statement, that it plans to work with specialists in brain injury and CTE research.
–Field Level Media