Former NFL, Tennessee defensive end Steve White dead at 48 following cancer battle
Former Tennessee Volunteers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Steve White has died at the age of 48, some of his former teammates confirmed via Twitter. White had been battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which is a type of cancer that affects blood and bone marrow.
White spent seven seasons in the NFL, with six of them coming with Tampa Bay. He closed out his career with a one-year stint in New York with the Jets. A total of 94 games were played by White, with 15 of them being starts.
In his last season with the Buccaneers, White had his best ever season in the NFL. He recorded a career-high five sacks and added 25 tackles plus four tackles for a loss.
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In college, White played under head coach Phillip Fulmer, helping Tennessee go 11-1 in the defensive end’s final season in Knoxville. The Volunteers wound up winning the Citrus Bowl that season, with the only loss being to the Florida Gators. White also helped his team finish ranked No. 3 in the final AP poll.
When moving to the professionals, White was a sixth-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft.
Former teammates remember Steve White
Former Tamp Bay teammates have taken to social media, remembering White. One was Warren Sapp, who decided to post a highlight video of the talented defensive end. Sapp said, through a hashtag, that White was a smart, tough, and great man.
Former Buccaneers quarterback Shaun King, who played for three seasons with White, said despite being on opposite sides of the ball, the defensive end encouraged him.
“Just heard my former teammate @sgw94 passed away,” White said. “Condolences to his family and loved ones. Always had an encouraging word for me when I was a young player with the @Buccaneers.”