Barry Wilburn, Super Bowl Champion, Passes Away

Barry Wilburn, the former NFL defensive back who celebrated a Super Bowl victory, has passed away at the age of 62, as announced by one of his former teams on Sunday. The news was shared via social media by Washington’s franchise, where Wilburn spent five seasons when it was still known as the Washington Redskins, contributing to their 1987 Super Bowl championship win.

The team expressed their sorrow, stating, “We are saddened to learn of the passing of former Washington All-Pro and Super Bowl XXII champion Barry Wilburn. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.”

According to his family, Wilburn tragically died in a house fire in Tennessee. He initially entered the NFL after being chosen in the eighth round of the 1985 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he played all 16 games and tallied 39 tackles, progressively shining over the years. Notably, in 1987, he anchored the league with nine interceptions and earned All-Pro honors.

During the 1987 playoffs, he recorded three interceptions, including two in the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos, securing a decisive 42-10 victory for the Redskins. After his tenure in Washington, Wilburn played for the Cleveland Browns in 1992, and later joined the Philadelphia Eagles during the 1995 and 1996 seasons.

His career wasn’t limited to the NFL; he also played in the Canadian Football League for teams like the Saskatchewan Roughriders, BC Lions, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Remarkably, in 1994, he became one of the few athletes to win both a Gray Cup and a Super Bowl.