Written by By Staff Writer
Coorie Culp, a former NFL star who played on the New York Giants’ 1969 Super Bowl XXI championship team, has died in his sleep at age 75, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Culp, one of 14 Giants players inducted into the NFL’s Hall of Fame, had suffered from multiple sclerosis and lymphoma, the Times reported.
Culp, who was the New York Giants’ first quarterback of the 1960s, passed for 14,706 yards in 13 seasons. His 4,008 completions and 70,398 passing yards rank first and second in team history.
“Coorie brought a blue-collar edge and unmatched confidence and competitiveness to every game, making him one of the most influential players in Giants’ history,” former coach Bill Parcells told the Times.
“I believe Curley helped many young players grow, both literally and figuratively. I learned so much from Curley.”
Culp was known as a “hothead” in his playing days, according to the Times. He was later sentenced to house arrest after an incident with an airport screener at Los Angeles International Airport in 1981. He reportedly kicked the woman and called her a racial slur.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl nine times during his 11 seasons in the NFL, the Times reported.