The year got off to a sad start with the death of NFL Hall of Famer Dan Reeves and has ended with the passing of soccer’s original G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time).
Pelé died from multiple organ failure due to the progression of colon cancer on Thursday and tops a list of late and great sports stars that have passed away in the past 12 months.
Here is a month-by-month list of those who have left us this year.
January
Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves was best known as the legendary head coach of the Denver Broncos, which he took to the Super Bowl three times without winning. A fourth trip to the final, this time with the Atlanta Falcons, would also result in defeat.
He did win the trophy with the Dallas Cowboys during his playing career before retiring in 1972 to become a coach.
The Hall of Famer passed away on January 1, 2022, at the age of 77, after suffering complications from dementia.
Don Maynard
Don Maynard was an NFL wide receiver who played for several teams, including the New York Giants and New York Jets, where he teamed up with Joe Namath for a formidable attack that won the 1969 Super Bowl against the Indianapolis Colts.
He passed away on January 10, 2022, at the age of 86, after suffering from complications of dementia.
Maynard was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Junior Siavii
Junior Siavii was a defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, and Seattle Seahawks.
Siavii died on January 13, 2022, aged 43, after he was found unresponsive in a Kansas federal prison cell.
He was awaiting trial on federal drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession charges.
Lusia Harris
Lusia Harris was the first woman to be drafted into the NBA as the 137th overall pick of the New Orleans (now Utah) Jazz in 1977.
She never got to play a game in the NBA but the basketball pioneer was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
She passed away on January 18, 2022, at the age of 66.
Clark Gillies
Clark Gillies was a Canadian ice hockey player who captained the New York Islanders from 1977 to 1979 and helped them win four Stanley Cups in a row from 1980 to 1983. He also played for the Buffalo Sabres.
He died on January 21, 2022, at the age of 67.
February
Bill Fitch
Bill Fitch was best known for being the head coach of the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. He won the NBA championship with the Celtics in 1981.
He passed away on February 2, 2022, aged 89.
Gerald Williams
Gerald Williams was a professional baseball outfielder who played for 14 seasons in MLB with the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and New York Mets from 1992 to 2005.
He died from cancer on February 8, 2022, aged 55.
Jeremy Giambi
Jeremy Giambi was an outfielder and first baseman who played for the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals.
He died by suicide on February 9, 2022, aged 47.
Eduardo Romero
Argentine professional golfer Eduardo Romero was nicknamed El Gato and won over 80 professional tournaments during his career.
He died after complications with cancer on February 13, 2022, aged 67.
Charley Taylor
Charley Taylor was a wide receiver who spent 13 seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1964 to 1977 and his career stats put him among the game’s elite.
He passed away on February 19, 2022, aged 80.
Emile Francis
Emile Francis was a Canadian ice hockey goalkeeper, coach, and general manager in the NHL.
He played for the Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers and earned the nickname “The Cat” for his speed in goal.
He died on February 19, 2022, aged 95.
March
Katie Meyer
Katie Meyer was goalkeeper for the Stanford Cardinal women’s soccer team.
She died by suicide on March 1, 2022, aged 22.
Shane Olivea
Shane Olivea was an offensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers after being drafted to the NFL in 2004.
He died of hypertensive heart disease on March 2, 2022, aged 40.
Odalis Pérez
Odalis Pérez was known for his career as an MLB pitcher with the Atlanta Braves, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Kansas City Royals and the Washington Nationals.
He died on March 10, 2022, from injuries sustained in an accident at his home, aged 44.
Scott Hall
Scott Hall was a professional wrestler best known for his stint with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) under the ring name Razor Ramon, and later for his career with World Championship Wrestling under his real name.
He died on March 14, 2022, aged 63 after suffering complications from hip replacement surgery.
Jean Potvin
Jean Potvin was a Canadian ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Cleveland Barons, and Minnesota North Stars during a 12-year career in the NHL
He died on March 15, 2022, aged 72.
April
Tommy Davis
Tommy Davis played in MLB as a left fielder and third baseman from 1959 to 1976 for 10 different teams. With the Los Angeles Dodgers, he became a two-time National League batting champion. He was also a part of the 1963 World Series championship team.
He passed away on April 3, 2022, aged 83.
Gene Shue
Gene Shue was an All-Star NBA guard who played for such teams as the Detroit Pistons or the New York Knicks.
He later coached for 22 years including. Shue won coach of the year twice, once with Baltimore in 1969 and another time with Washington in 1982
He died on April 3, 2022, aged 90.
Rayfield Wright
Rayfield Wright was an offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys, where he played for 13 seasons. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
He suffered a seizure and passed away on April 7, 2022, aged 76.
Dwayne Haskins
Dwayne Haskins was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback. He was selected by the Washington Commanders in the 1st Round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
He died on April 9, 2022, aged 24 after being struck by a dump truck.
John Drew
John Drew played in the NBA for 11 seasons in the 1970s and 80s. A two-time All-Star, he had stints with the Atlanta Hawks and the Utah Jazz. He went on to play for the Wyoming Wildcatters of the Continental Basketball Association.
He died from bone cancer on April 10, 2022, aged 67.
Wayne Cooper
Wayne Cooper played in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets.
He passed away on April 11, 2022, aged 65.
Garrett Burnett
Garrett Burnett was a Canadian ice hockey player who played with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the NHL. He also played lacrosse professionally with the Arizona Sting.
He died on April 11, 2022, aged 46.
Shirley Spork
Shirley Spork was a professional golfer and one of the founders of the LPGA Tour in 1950.
She passed away on April 12, 2022, aged 94.
May
Adreian Payne
Adreian Payne played in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic after being drafted in 2014.
He was shot dead in Orlando, Florida, on May 9, 2022, aged 31.
Bob Lanier
Bob Lanier played in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks and over 14 seasons. An eight-time All-Star, he was named Most Valuable Player of the 1974 game. He was part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which included the best players of in the league’s history.
He died on May 10, 2022, aged 73.
Jeff Gladney
Jeff Gladney was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft as a cornerback.
He died from injuries sustained in a car accident on May 30, 2022, aged 25.
June
Hugh McElhenny
Hugh McElhenny was a halfback in the NFL from 1952 to 1964. He played for such teams as the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Detroit Lions.
He died on June 17, 2022, aged 93.
Jaylon Ferguson
Jaylon Ferguson played as an outside linebacker and defensive end in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens. He was drafted in 2019.
He died on June 21, 2022, aged 26, from the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine.
Tony Siragusa
Tony “Goose” Siragusa was a defensive tackle for 12 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens.
He passed away on June 22, 2022, aged 55.
Bruton Smith
Bruton Smith was a promoter and the owner/CEO of Speedway Motorsports.
The NASCAR Hall of Famer passed away on June 22, 2022, at aged 95.
July
Bobby East
Bobby East was a professional stock car racing driver. The former NASCAR driver was a three-time U.S. Auto Club national champion.
He was stabbed to death at a gas station in California on July 13, 2022, aged 37.
Dwight Smith
Dwight Smith was an MLB outfielder known for his time with the Chicago Cubs.
He died after suffering from congestive heart and lung failure on July 22, 2022, aged 58.
Bill Russell
Bill Russell was an iconic NBA center who played for the Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1969. During that time, he was named NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) five times and was a 12-time All-Star.
He was the main component of a Celtics team that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.
He passed away on July 31, 2022, aged 88.
August
Tom Weiskopf
Tom Weiskopf was a PGA Tour golfer who won 16 titles between 1968 and 1982.
He lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on August 20, 2022, aged 79.
Gary Gaines
Gary Gaines was a football coach for Permian High School who was made famous in the book by Buzz Bissinger, and subsequent movie, Friday Night Lights.
He died on August 22, 2022, aged 73. His wife said the cause was Alzheimer’s disease.
Len Dawson
Len Dawson played in the NFL as quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs where he holds the franchise records for career passing yards, passing touchdowns and wins.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
He died on August 24, 2022, aged 87.
September
Earnie Shavers
Earnie Shavers was a two-time world heavyweight championship challenger. With 68 knockouts, he was known for having one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight boxing history.
He passed away on September 1, 2022, aged 78.
Maury Wills
Maury Wills was a former MLB player turned manager who was best known for his career with the Dodgers.
Wills was the National League MVP in 1962, the same year he also became the Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game.
He passed away on September 19, 2022, aged 89
Gavin Escobar
Gavin Escobar played tight end in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens.
He passed away on September 28, 2022, aged 31 after suffering injuries during a rock climbing accident.
October
Sara Lee
Sara Lee first rose to fame in 2015 when she won WWE’s Tough Enough competition.
The pro wrestler passed away on October 5, 2022, aged 30.
Bruce Sutter
Bruce Sutter was a pitcher who helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the 1982 World Series.
He played 12 seasons between 1976 and 1988 in the MLB and was known for his split-finger fastball.
He died on October 13, 2022, aged 69.
November
Ray Guy
Ray Guy played for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders and is widely regarded as the best punter in NFL history. He is the only punter ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
He died on November 3, 2022, aged 72, from advanced-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson was a mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He fought across various weight categories during his career.
He died on November 13, 2022, aged 38.
Brad William Henke
Brad William Henke rose to fame as an NFL and AFL player but later switched to acting.
He was best known for his role as Corrections Officer Desi Piscatella on Orange Is the New Black.
For this role, he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2016.
He died on November 29, 2022, aged 56.
John Hadl
John Hadl was football quarterback who helped the San Diego Chargers win an AFL championship in 1963.
He played in the American Football League and National Football League for 16 years and was named an AFL All-Star four times and was selected to two Pro Bowls.
He died on November 30, 2022, aged 82.
Adam Zimmer
Adam Zimmer was an assistant defensive backs coach and offensive analyst for the Cincinnati Bengals.
He was the son of legendary Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer,
He died on October 31, 2022, aged 38.
December
Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Perry was an MLB pitcher who played for eight teams between 1962 and 1983.
He died on December 1, 2022, aged 84.
Nick Bollettieri
Nick Bollettieri was a tennis coach who famously worked with the likes of Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Monica Seles and Mary Pierce.
He died on December 4, 2022, aged 91.
Pelé
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known to most as soccer player Pelé, passed away on Thursday. He was 82.
Pelé has been called the greatest soccer player in history, even by the sport’s international governing body FIFA. He is the only player to win three World Cups. He led Brazil to titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
In international play, he scored 77 goals in 92 games, which is still a record in Brazil. At the club level in Brazil, for Santos, he scored 643 goals in 659 games, a club record.
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50 Sports Stars Who Died in 2022 From Soccer Legend Pele to Dan Reeves
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