Former Arizona Cardinals left tackle Luis Sharpe, who played all of his 13 NFL seasons with the team, died at 65 years old on Friday.
“Throughout his lengthy and accomplished career with the Cardinals, Luis Sharpe exhibited an uncommon strength and toughness that made him so successful as a player,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement. “Admirably, he would later demonstrate those same traits in dealing with the personal challenges he faced when his career was over.
“We send our deepest condolences to all of those who loved Luis, in particular his family and former teammates.”
Sharpe’s widow, Tameka Williams-Sharpe, said the former lineman’s “strength, love and faith were a light to all who knew him” when sharing the news on social media.
Sharpe was a three-time Pro Bowler, and both of his Second-Team All-Pro seasons (1988, 1990) came within the first three years the Cardinals called the Valley their home.
He began his career as a first-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals (1982), and his final season was the team’s first as the Arizona Cardinals (1994).
Sharpe started in all 198 games he appeared in over his 13-year career.
How Luis Sharpe spent later years helping people
Sharpe found his second calling after football in helping fellow former players with their health. He had worked through his own drug addiction, which included jail time before and after he spent time preaching at the Salvation Army Rehabilitation Center in Phoenix.
Sharpe moved to Detroit about 10 years ago, where he spent his childhood, to work at a sobriety clinic. He immigrated to Detroit from Cuba at 6 years old.
“I feel a sense of purpose now. I feel more significant that I ever did when I was playing professional football,” Sharpe told The Athletic in 2020. “My life is better today. I tell people all the time, ‘What I thought was my greatest curse has turned into my greatest blessing.'”
He said one of his biggest goals was getting addicts to understand they’re not bad people, just that they need help.