Barry Wilburn, a Super Bowl-winning defensive back for Washington, dies at age 62

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 27: Defensive back Barry Wilburn #45 of the Washington Redskins looks on from the field during a game against the Cleveland Browns at Municipal Stadium on October 27, 1985 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Redskins defeated the Browns 14-7. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)(Getty Images/George Gojkovich)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barry Wilburn, who led the NFL in interceptions in 1987 and won a Super Bowl with Washington that same season, has died. He was 62.

The Commanders announced his death Sunday. Action News 5 in Memphis, Tennessee, citing Wilburn’s family, reported that he was the victim of a house fire early Friday.

Born Dec. 9, 1963, Wilburn played in college at Mississippi before being drafted by Washington in 1985. He had nine of his 20 career regular-season interceptions in 1987, playing in the same defensive backfield as Hall of Famer Darrell Green.

When Washington beat Denver 42-10 in that season’s Super Bowl, Wilburn intercepted two passes in that game. After five seasons with Washington, he played for the Cleveland Browns in 1992 and later was with the Philadelphia Eagles for a couple of seasons.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up