The football world is mourning the loss of former NFL defensive tackle Oliver Gibson, who passed away in June. His family confirmed his death in a Facebook post, though the cause has not been disclosed.
Gibson, a Romeoville, Illinois native, played college football at Notre Dame before being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons with the Steelers before moving on to the Cincinnati Bengals in 1999, where he continued his career. He also had brief stints with the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Over his NFL career, Gibson appeared in 133 games, starting 57 of them. He recorded 243 tackles, 17.5 sacks, 37 tackles for loss, 10 passes defensed, and one interception.
His football journey began in high school, where he made a national impact. In 1989, he was named USA Today’s High School Defensive Player of the Year for his standout performance at Romeoville High School.
Tributes Pour In
Following the news of his passing, tributes from teammates, fans, and football figures came flooding in:
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Football analyst Tom Lemming shared: “Devastated to hear of the passing of one of my favorite Chicago area players, Oliver Gibson… Wonderful young man, team leader with a great personality.”
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Notre Dame Football posted: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Oliver Gibson. We send our condolences to his family and friends.”
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Former teammate Chad Johnson tweeted: “R.I.P Oliver Gibson ‘OG’.”
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Another former teammate shared: “That’s the brother we’ll forever remember. OG was ALWAYS looking out for his guys!”
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A fan fondly recalled: “We met him at the Marriott in Cleveland during a road trip to watch you guys play. He was really cool to us.”
Oliver Gibson is remembered not just for his impact on the field, but for the warmth, leadership, and loyalty he showed throughout his life.
Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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