Over the weekend, the football world didn’t lose just another rough-and-tough player from Philadelphia. For some, the sport lost a truly good person.
Former tight end Frank Wycheck died at his Chattanooga, Tennessee, home Saturday from what’s being described as a fatal head injury due to an accidental fall. Wycheck was 52. Per his request, his family plans to work with experts for CTE research and ongoing brain injury.
While his 11-year pro career stands out, it was his time playing at Maryland that set him up for success. Wycheck played for the Terrapins from 1990-92, hauling in 134 receptions, the most by a tight end and seventh-most by any player in school history. He finished his career at Maryland with 1,183 receiving yards and was a 1991 Second Team All-ACC selection.
Maryland Football mourns the loss of Terrapin legend Frank Wycheck
Our thoughts are with his family and friends pic.twitter.com/fKuA0orm7Y
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) December 10, 2023
For Johnny Holliday, the longtime voice of Maryland Football, Wycheck was “tough as nails” and stood out from everyone else. However, once you got to know him, Holliday told WTOP the tight end was a “very special guy” off the field as well.
“Frank Wycheck had a tremendous personality, and just he was always smiling,” Holliday said. “I never saw the guy down. He was always upbeat, always positive. And even though [the Terps] were struggling with their records, he was always optimistic.”
The broadcaster recalled Wycheck’s 14-catch, 100-plus-recieving-yard performance against Virginia Tech, which is tied for the second most catches in a game in the program’s history. He excelled as a receiver while he was primarily at Maryland as a blocker, making his contributions as a tight end in the college and pro levels “underrecognized” Holliday said.
“He was a blocker, he could do that as well as anybody and he could catch the ball as well as anybody,” Holliday said.
Following his career as a Terp, Wycheck was drafted by Washington in the 6th round of the NFL Draft in 1993. After being released in 1995, Wycheck was picked up off waivers by the Houston Oilers, which eventually moved to Tennessee.
That’s where the three-time All-Pro spent the bulk of his career, playing 137 games for the Titans and setting a team record with at least one reception in 99 consecutive games.
Wycheck’s claim to fame was his role in the “Music City Miracle” play against Buffalo during an AFC Wild Card playoff game Jan. 8, 2000, in Nashville.
After the Bills went ahead by one with 16 seconds remaining, on the ensuing kickoff, Wycheck threw a cross-field lateral to wide receiver Kevin Dyson, who took it 75 yards to score the game-winning touchdown for the Titans.
Despite critics claiming Wycheck’s lateral was an illegal forward pass, the “Music City Miracle” stands as one of the greatest finishes in NFL history.
The Tennessee Titans mourn the loss of a beloved member of our Titans family, Frank Wycheck 💙 pic.twitter.com/3XoR3HXBle
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 10, 2023
During his 11-year career, Wycheck recorded 505 receptions for 5,126 yards and 28 touchdowns while being voted to the Pro Bowl three times. He ranked fourth all-time among tight ends in career receptions at the time of his retirement.
Meanwhile, from afar, Holliday watched the former Terp excel while always remembering Wycheck as “a delightful guy to be around.”
“I was always proud of everything that he did,” Holliday said. “And I thought he should have gotten more nationwide recognition.”
Wycheck is survived by two daughters, Deanna and Madison, and their spouses; and his grandchildren, Leo, Stevie and August.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
