Dave Wilcox, a Hall of Fame NFL player who spent his entire career with the San Francisco 49ers, died on Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced. He was 80 years old. The cause of death was not officially announced, but the Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed that Wilcox underwent, heart surgery, according to PEOPLE.
“While Dave Wilcox was nicknamed ‘The Intimidator’ for his aggressive style of play, he was a kind, humble and gracious man in all other aspects of life,” Jim Porter, the Hall of Fame president, said in a statement, per ESPN. “He transformed the outside linebacker position — one of the many feats that earned him a forever home in Canton. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dave’s wife, Merle, and their entire family. We will preserve his legacy for generations to come.”
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Wilcox began his NFL career in 1964. In his 11 seasons with the 49ers, the legendary linebacker was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times and the All-Pro Team three times. He played in 152 games while missing just one and notched 14 interceptions. Wilcox was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and is also a member of the 49ers Hall of Fame.
In 2000, Wilcox spoke to ESPN about paying attention to detail when he played. “That’s what I loved to do,” Wilcox said then. “I used to tell the guys, where the play was going and all that so they could make the tackle. … And what I used to really love to do is help guys studying and if I could help them, give them tips on when the play was coming or where the play was going. I used to kind of relay that information. I took a lot of pride and interest in doing that.”
During his Hall of Fame speech, Wilcox talked about how much of an honor it is for him to be enshrined with the all-time greats. “It is indeed an honor to stand up here in front of the greatest football players of all time and being included in that group,” he said. “If you think about it, of all the people that have played this game, from Little League to junior high, college, pro, and you select a few for enshrinement, this is truly amazing.” Wilcox is survived by his wife Merle and their two sons, Josh and Justin who is currently the head coach of the California Golden Bears football team.
