Jeff Leiding

Jeffrey James Leiding (October 28, 1961 – July 13, 2014) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and United States Football League (USFL).

Jeff Leiding

No. 60, 92
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1961-10-28)October 28, 1961 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Died:	July 13, 2014(2014-07-13) (aged 52) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High school:	Union (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
College:	Texas
NFL draft:	1984: 5th round, 129th pick
Career history
St. Louis Cardinals (1984)* San Antonio Gunslingers (1985) Indianapolis Colts (1986–1988)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Consensus All-American (1983) First-team All-SWC (1983)
Career NFL statistics
Sacks: 1.0 Safeties: 2 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life and college

Jeffrey James Leiding was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri.^[1] He was born on October 28, 1961.^[1] He was a standout player at Hickman Mills High School in Kansas City as a sophomore and junior. When his father accepted a job at a bank in Tulsa, Oklahoma prior to his senior year, Leiding finished his prep career at Union High School.^[2] He chose to play college football for the Texas Longhorns.^[3] He lettered for the Longhorns from 1980 to 1983, earning consensus All-American honors as a senior.^[1][4]

Professional career

Leiding was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth round, with the 129th overall pick, of the 1984 NFL draft.^[5] He was also a territorial selection of the San Antonio Gunslingers of the United States Football League (USFL) in 1984.^[1] He signed with the Cardinals on July 16 but did not make the team, being released on August 27, 1984.^[6][2] He then played in ten games for the Gunslingers during the 1985 USFL season.^[1][7]

Leiding signed with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts on May 12, 1986. He was released on August 26 but later re-signed on September 30, 1986.^[6] He played in 12 games for the Colts in 1986 and recorded one safety.^[8] He was released the next year on August 19, 1987.^[6] On September 23, Leiding rejoined the Colts as a replacement player during the 1987 NFLPA strike.^[6] He was retained after the strike ended.^[6] Overall, he appeared in nine games, starting three, and totaled one safety and one sack that season before being placed on injured reserve on December 1, 1987.^[8][6] He was placed on the physically unable to perform list on July 17, 1988.^[6] Leiding became a free agent after the 1988 season.^[6]

Death

Leiding died of a heart attack on July 13, 2014, in St. Louis, Missouri.^[9][1]