SF Chromicle:
Alex Karras was one of the NFL’s most feared defensive tackles throughout the 1960s, a player who hounded quarterbacks and bulled past opposing linemen.
And yet, to many people he will always be the lovable dad from the 1980s sitcom “Webster” or the big cowboy who famously punched out a horse in “Blazing Saddles.”
The rugged player, who anchored the Lions’ defense and then made a successful transition to an acting career, with a stint along the way as a commentator on “Monday Night Football,” died Wednesday. He was 77.
Mr. Karras had recently suffered kidney failure and been diagnosed with dementia. The Lions also said he had suffered from heart disease and, for the last two years, stomach cancer. He died at home in Los Angeles surrounded by family members, said Craig Mitnick, Mr. Karras’ attorney.
“Perhaps no player in Lions history attained as much success and notoriety for what he did after his playing days as did Alex,” Lions president Tom Lewand said.
His death also will be tied to the NFL’s conflict with former players over concussions. Mr. Karras in April joined the more than 3,500 football veterans suing the league for not protecting them better from head injuries, immediately becoming one of the best-known names in the legal fight. Mitnick said the family had not yet decided whether to donate Mr. Karras’ brain for study, as other families have done.
Born in Gary, Ind., Mr. Karras starred for four years at Iowa. Detroit drafted Mr. Karras with the 10th overall pick in 1958 and he was a four-time All-Pro defensive tackle over 12 seasons with the franchise.
For all his prowess on the field, Mr. Karras may have gained more fame when he turned to acting.
Playing a not-so-bright bruiser named Mongo in Mel Brooks‘ “Blazing Saddles,” he not only slugged a horse but also delivered the classic line: “Mongo only pawn in game of life.”
Several years before that, Mr. Karras became a bit of a celebrity through George Plimpton‘s behind-the-scenes book about being an NFL player in the Motor City, “Paper Lion: Confessions of a Second-string Quarterback.”
That led to Mr. Karras playing himself alongside Alan Alda in the movie adaption and it opened doors for Mr. Karras to be an analyst alongside Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford on “Monday Night Football.”
In the 1980s, he played a sheriff in “Porky’s” and became a hit on the small screen as Emmanuel Lewis‘ adoptive father, George Papadapolis, in the sitcom “Webster.”
