Larry Bethea

Larry Bethea
No. 76
Position:Defensive end / Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born:(1956-07-21)July 21, 1956
Florence, South Carolina, U.S.
Died:April 23, 1987(1987-04-23) (aged 30)
Hampton, Virginia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:251 lb (114 kg)
Career information
High school:Ferguson (VA)
College:Michigan State
NFL draft:1978 / round: 1 / pick: 28
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Sacks:11.0
Fumble recoveries:1
Player stats at PFR

Larry Bethea (July 21, 1956 – April 24, 1987) was an American football defensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He was also a member of the Michigan Panthers and Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (USFL). Bethea was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 1978 NFL draft, after playing college football for the Michigan State Spartans and winning Big Ten Most Valuable Player in 1977. He died a self imposed death after being identified as a suspect in two armed robberies.[1]

  1. ^ "Bethea Apparent Suicide". The New York Times. Associated Press. April 24, 1987. Retrieved February 19, 2023.