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Luis Sharpe
Cuban gridiron football player (1960–2025) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Luis Ernesto Sharpe Jr. (June 16, 1960 – July 11, 2025) was a Cuban professional player of American football who was an offensive tackle[1] for 13 seasons with the St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1982 through 1994. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection with the Cardinals.[2] He also played a single season in the United States Football League (USFL).
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Early life
Born in Havana, Cuba, Sharpe immigrated with his family to Detroit, Michigan, in the United States when he was six.[3][4]
College career
Sharpe played college football for the UCLA Bruins. As a freshman in 1978 he was one of three Bruins to win the John F. Boncheff, Jr., Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year.[5] Sharpe majored in political science at the University of California, Los Angeles. He left in the spring semester of 1982, 16 units short of a degree. He never graduated.[3]
Professional career
Sharpe was selected by the Cardinals in the first round (16th overall) of the 1982 NFL draft.[3]
Personal life and death
Sharpe was a Cuban citizen.[6] He battled substance abuse during his NFL career and after.[2] He was sentenced to prison after his football career, before being clean for the final eight years of his life.[7]
On July 11, 2025, Sharpe died from heart failure at the age of 65.[2][7] He was interred at Glen Eden Lutheran Memorial Park.[8]
References
External links
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