Pellom McDaniels, Former Oregon State Defensive Star and NFL Veteran, Dies at 52

Pellom McDaniels, an Oregon State defensive end from 1987-89 who spent nearly a decade playing professional football, died Sunday morning in Atlanta according to multiple reports.

McDaniels, 52, became a college professor after his football days, earning a PhD in American Studies. He was an assistant professor of African American Studies at Emory University, as well as a curator of African American collections for the school’s library.

McDaniels was also an author, writing several books that include “The Prince of Jockeys: The Life of Isaac Burns Murphy,” an African American jockey who won three Kentucky Derbys during the late 1800s.

In 2015, McDaniels was honored with the NCAA’s Silver Anniversary Award, which honors former student-athletes for their accomplishments 25 years after their college careers end.