Justin Strzelczyk

Justin Strzelczyk was a professional football player. Justin Strzelczyk was an NFL offensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers for nine seasons after being taken in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft.

Justin’s death in a car accident was one of the key topics of discussion at the 2007 NFL Summit discussing the link between football players and CTE.

Education, Family, and Childhood

Justin Strzelczyk was born on August 18, 1968, in West Seneca, New York, to Connie and Mary Joyce.

Connie Strzelczyk, affectionately known as “Big Bird,” was a successful basketball player at Montana State University from 1958 to 1960.

After two years of collegiate basketball, Connie moved to Buffalo and became a teacher.

He also worked as a painter throughout the summer.

Furthermore, Justin’s parents divorced when he was seven years old.

Justin participated in a variety of sports as a kid, including football, basketball, and hockey.

He also played baseball and was a pitcher until he was unable to do so due to shoulder discomfort.

Justin’s father, according to his mother, had the greatest influence on him in terms of pursuing sports and participating in them.

Connie, his father, was disabled and killed in a drunk-driving accident in May 1998.

Furthermore, Justin was born under the zodiac sign of Leo.

People born under the sign of Leo are noted for being relaxed, loyal, and self-assured.

Education & Early Career

Justin Strzelczyk attended West Seneca Senior High School in West Seneca, New York, for his secondary schooling.

Strzelczyk was always engaged in basketball during his high school years, and his 6’5′′ height allowed him to play forward.

Furthermore, as a junior and senior in high school, Justin averaged 21 points per game and 22 points per game, respectively.

Justin was named All-Western New York and became a local basketball star as a result of his achievements.

As a result of his high school basketball successes, Justin was set to play basketball in college, despite his love for football.

Justin’s father, on the other hand, persuaded him that football was a better fit for him because he was the poster child for how, even after pursuing basketball in college, he ended up in a teaching position.

On October 16th, 2009, West Seneca West High School retired Justin’s football jersey #46.

Justin chose to play college football at the University of Maine in college.

The college football team won two Yankee Conference championships during his time there.

Justin despised steroids, according to his college teammates, and claimed that his weight was the product of weight training and eating.

During his college years, Strzelczyk earned the moniker “Jughead,” after the Archie comics character.

Justin also took part in the East-West Shrine Game, which was held in California in January 1990.

Justin wowed then-Steelers coach Chuck Noll during the game, and he was ultimately picked in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL Draft.

Facts of Justin Strzelczyk

Net Worth

Justin Strzelczyk’s net worth is estimated to be around $200,000.

Work and Career

Steelers of Pittsburgh

After being picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1990 NFL Draft, Justin made the Steelers roster after training camp and relocated to Plum, Pennsylvania.

Justin was a member of the Steelers’ special teams for the first two seasons.

Unfortunately, after Steeler’s right tackle Tunch IIkin was injured and missed the first four games of the 1992 NFL season, Justin was thrust into the starting lineup.

Furthermore, as a starter, Justin appeared in 75 of the 133 games played during the season, starting at every line position except the center.

Furthermore, Justin would pick up the red phone from the Steelers’ sideline during games and yell at the team’s offensive coordinator, Ron Erhardt, Chan Gailey, and Ray Sherman, “Run the damn ball!”

Justin was an important part of the Pittsburgh Steelers run to Super Bowl XXX.

Unfortunately, Justin damaged his quadriceps five months after the 1992 NFL season, while playing in the Monday Night Football tournament against the Kansas City Chiefs, and had to have season-ending surgery two days later.

Similarly, Justin hurt his knee in a bar brawl in March 1999, necessitating yet another operation, putting a stop to his appearance the following season.

As a result, the Pittsburgh Steelers placed Strzelczyk on injured reserve and paid him $187,000, which was a percentage of the $1.5 million he was expected to earn as a Steelers player.

Justin hurt his bicep while celebrating a victory in a hockey game on January 24, 2000. Justin was waived by the Steelers as a result of his frequent injuries.

Video for Music

Justin appeared in Adam Sandler’s 1997 music video “The Lonesome Kicker,” in which he portrayed himself and stole the kicker’s “snowshoe” while mocking him alongside fellow Steeler teammates Kordell Stewart, Jerome Bettis, and Greg Lloyd.

Other Hobbies

Justin became interested in Harley-Davidson motorcycles after signing with the Steelers.

With teammates Jerry Olsavsky and Ariel Solomon, he acquired his first bike in Oakland.

Justin collided with many parked cars after celebrating his bike purchase with his teammates. His fuel tank was dented as a result of the collision.

Justin enjoyed playing the guitar and banjo, as well as reading books, watching videos, day trading, and cribbage.

Furthermore, after the Steelers waived Justin, he searched for other ways to occupy his time.

He developed a passion for food and began preparing barbecue sauces and buffalo wings. Justin also participated in the motorcycle event at Sturgis, South Dakota, on his motorcycle.

Justin also performed music, acted in two plays, and skied. He also wrote a book called Balance, in which he outlined his philosophy for balancing life’s stresses and pleasures.

He skied, performed music, acted in two plays, and wrote a book called Balance, which was based on his notion of balancing life’s pleasures and burdens.

Justin also paid for a daycare center with a $17,000 cheque.

Despite this, Justin invested in a number of businesses that failed, resulting in losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Justin’s finances were not harmed as a result of the financial losses.

Issues with the Police

Justin was also known for having frequent run-ins with the police after his football career came to an end.

In November 2000, he was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm without a valid permit.

The handgun, on the other hand, belonged to his friend, who had obtained it after engaging in a discussion about gun control, which resulted in him wielding the weapon for a period of time.

Moreover, Justin was known for being a heavy drinker, just like his father. In early 2003, the authorities cited Justin for Driving Under Influence, which resulted in the suspension of his driver’s license for a year.

Besides, the sentence was reduced to two months after some time.

In Late 2003, Justin suddenly refused to have alcohol and drugs, including prescription medication, which came off as a shock to his family members as it was out of his usual nature.

Also Read:

Top 12 NFL Quarterbacks of the Current Year,  

15 Shortest NFL Players in History,

Death

On September 30th, 2004, Justin was supposed to arrive for a fundraiser at Orchard Park, New York.

He packed some crucifixes and $2,600-plus in cash with him and left his phone at home.

Unfortunately, Justin hit a tank truck while driving at 90 miles per hour (140 km/h), which was against the flow of traffic, and as a result, he died because of the crash.

The accident occurred in Herkimer, New York, and at the time of the accident, he was 36 years old.

Justin’s death place is present in the Saint Stanislaus Roman Catholic Cemetery located in Cheektowaga, New York.

Initially, the cause of Justin’s death was proclaimed as under the influence of alcohol or other drugs due to his irritational behavior while driving at the time of the accident.

However, the claimed cause was disproved by toxicity tests.

Moreover, Justin’s postmortem autopsy revealed that he suffered from severe brain damage because of his years as a football athlete.

Here is an in-depth article issued by the Washington Post regarding Justin’s death After Football, a Tragic Free Fall.

Furthermore, in 2007, Justin’s mother, Mary Joyce, allowed Bennet Omalu, a neuropathologist, to examine Strzelczyk’s brain.

Nonetheless, the case caused a series of debates regarding the seriousness of concussions during the National Football League Summit held in June 2007.

In 2007, Justin’s mother, Mary Joyce, allowed Bennet Omalu to examine Strzelczyk’s brain, and in 2015 a film called Concussion aired where Matt Willig played the role of Justin.

The film portrayed the efforts of Omalu, who struggled against the efforts of the NFL to contain his research on brain damage.

Which was sustained by professional football athletes called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease that football athletes sustain from taking repeated hits to the head, which caused damage to the brain.

Wife and Children

Justin Strzelczyk married Keana McMahon in early 1993.

However, because of his heavy drinking habit, the couple faced many problems as a married couple. Thus, they got divorced in 2001.

Moreover, Justin and Keana have two children together, a son named Strzelczyk Jr. and a daughter named Sabrina Strzelczyk.