Ricky Bryan passed away

[stoops the eternal pimp]

My pastor, who is his cousin, just informed me he died last night from a heart attack.. Haven't seen anything official yet

[King Crimson]

oh no. he was a great player and Sooner. from Coweta, i think.

[stoopified]

I'm stunned and saddened.Sadly the Sooner All-Heaven Team has added yet another member,this one way too young.

[soonerfan28]

Is his son Mike Bryan that plays for TU or is that his nephew?

[OUAlumni1990]

Wow, that is sad news. Whats even more sad that he was so young to die of a heart attack.

[SoonerShark]

Oh, no. How sad. Since this thread cites no official announcement, I hope the rumors of of his death are greatly exaggerated.

[soonerfan28]

I checked and yes it's Mike Bryan's dad.

[Mozart Loves Switzer]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20090726_92_0_Former363760&allcom=1

[SoonerTank]

How truly sad. Prayers for the family.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

He also has a daughter who will be playing basketball for Osu

[Octavian]

wow....prayers to the family


Ricky Bryan was one of the best players of the Switzer Era -- regardless of position


RIP

[Sooner24]

He was a great player on some not so great teams.


Really sad! :(

[stoopified]

I was hoping against hope this wasn't true.Prayers to the family.

[soonerfan28]

Prayers for the Bryan family. Three brothers who contributed to the greateness of OU football. Thanks!

[zeke]

Sad news.
Prayers for the family and friends.

Just read an article yesterday about his son in the Tulsa paper.

[TXBOOMER]

Man oh man....I hate to hear that. Thoughts and well wishes out to the family.

[PLaw]

My pastor, who is his cousin, just informed me he died last night from a heart attack.. Haven't seen anything official yet

Just saw the headline on the Daily Oklahoman website.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````
Former Sooner All-America football player Rick Bryan dies
By Berry Tramel, Staff Writer
Published: July 26, 2009
Rick Bryan, a “championship-type player” on non-championship Oklahoma football teams, died Saturday night in his Coweta home. He was 47.

Bryan, a nine-year NFL standout with the Atlanta Falcons, suffered from congestive heart failure, said his OU coach, Barry Switzer.

“He was a championship-type player that didn’t get to play on teams that could beat Texas or Nebraska,” Switzer said. Bryan started three years, 1981-83, and the Sooners suffered four defeats in each of those seasons.

But he was one of the greatest defensive tackles in OU history, making All-American in 1982 and 1983.

“As good a player as you could ever hope for,” Switzer said. “Tremendous leader on the field.

“Practiced the game the way you wanted it practiced. Played the game you wanted it played. Other than that, never said a word.

“A special, special player. Players tremendously respected him.”

Bryan’s funeral is set for 10 a.m. Thursday in the Coweta High School gym.

Two of Bryan’s brothers, Mitch and Steve, also played at OU. Steve was a starting defensive tackle on OU’s 1985 national championship team. Bryan’s son, Mike, is a linebacker at the University of Tulsa, and Bryan’s daughter, Jenni, is a standout basketball player at Coweta High School.

Bryan signed with OU out of Coweta in 1980 and made the starting lineup as a sophomore. He was a three-time all-Big Eight pick, a two-time consensus All-American, and Bryan’s 365 career tackles remain the Sooner record for a lineman.

Bryan was picked ninth overall in the 1984 NFL Draft and played with the Falcons through 1993, finishing with 29 pro sacks.

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Wow, words cannot express the sadness from this loss. Nice words by the King. You would think that a two-time consensus All-American and three time All Big 8 DL would be in the college football hall of fame.

Only 47. Wow.

RIP SOONER

BOOMER

[MyT Oklahoma]

Rest In Peace.

[Boomer.....]

:( RIP

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I was around Ricky some, usually as a guest at a family function being held by my pastor. The last time I spent time with him was a while back when I performed Ricky's aunt's funeral. He told me a story that I may miss some of the details, but showed the relationship he had with Coach Switzer.

Ricky and his wife had just got married, and had just moved into an apartment together. He took what little money he had, and bought some furniture for the apartment. Not long after getting his apartment furnished, someone broke into the apartment and stole everything. It devastated both him and his new wife.

A few days afterwards, he returned home one day from practice and finds that his apartment is fully furnished again with new stuff and a message with a tag that is signed from B.S. .....

Thinking about how tough he was, the Monday night football game that ended his career, he was seen as they were carrying him off asking to play one more play because he knew that was it..He had already been told that one more big hit would end his career.

[sooneron]

Terrible news. RIP and Boomer Sooner.

[soonersam]

I was told he and Toby Keith are Very close friends.......