View source for Don Reese

{{Short description|American football player (1951–2003)}}
{{for|the American golfer|Don Reese (golfer)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image       =
| position    = [[Defensive end]]
| number      = 76, 60
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1951|9|4|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Mobile, Alabama]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2003|09|18|1951|09|4}}
| death_place = [[Prichard, Alabama]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 6
| weight_lbs  = 254
| high_school = [[Vigor High School|Vigor]] ([[Prichard, Alabama]])
| college     = [[Jackson State Tigers football|Jackson State]]
| draftyear   = 1974
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 26
| pastteams   =
* [[Miami Dolphins]] ({{NFL Year|1974|1976}})
* [[New Orleans Saints]] ({{NFL Year|1978|1980}})
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ({{NFL Year|1981}})
* [[Birmingham Stallions]] ({{NFL Year|1985}})
| statlabel1  = Games played
| statvalue1  = 88
| statlabel2  = Games [[Starting lineup|started]]
| statvalue2  = 37
| statlabel3  = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue3  = 4
| pfr         = ReesDo20
}}
'''Donald Francis Reese''' (September 4, 1951{{spaced ndash}}September 18, 2003) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[defensive end]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) and [[United States Football League]] (USFL). He played professionally for the [[Miami Dolphins]], the [[New Orleans Saints]] and the [[San Diego Chargers]] and the [[Birmingham Stallions]] of the USFL.

==Early life and education==
Reese was born in [[Mobile, Alabama]] and graduated from [[Vigor High School]] in [[Prichard, Alabama]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=REESEDON01 |title=Donald Francis Reese |publisher=databaseFootball.com |access-date=November 10, 2012 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102230358/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=REESEDON01 |archive-date=November 2, 2012 }}</ref> He played [[college football]] at [[Jackson State University]].

==Career==
Reese was a 1st round selection (26th overall pick) of the [[1974 NFL draft]] by the [[Miami Dolphins]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReesDo20.htm|title= Donald Francis Reese|publisher= Pro-Football-Reference.Com |access-date= November 10, 2012}}</ref> He played for the Dolphins from 1974 to 1976, but missed the 1977 NFL season after being arrested on May 4, 1977, along with teammate [[Randy Crowder]], on charges of selling {{convert|1|lb|kg|spell=in}} of [[cocaine]] to two undercover agents in [[Miami]].<ref>"Dolphin Players Crowder, Reese, Arrested on Cocaine Sale Charge", by Edna Buchanan, ''Miami Herald'', May 5, 1977, p.1-A</ref> After pleading [[nolo contendere|no contest]] on August 10, Reese and Crowder were sentenced to one year incarceration at the [[Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department|Dade County Stockade]], followed by four years probation,<ref>"Crowder, Reese Given Year in Jail for Drugs", ''Miami Herald'', August 11, 1977, p.1A</ref> a remarkably light sentence given the charges.<ref>"Other drug offenders didn't fare as well as Reece and Crowder", ''Miami News'', August 11, 1977, p.5A</ref>

After his release, Reese went on to play for the [[New Orleans Saints]] (1978–1980), and the [[San Diego Chargers]] (1981). In 1985 Reese played for the [[Birmingham Stallions]] in the [[United States Football League]].<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-02-17-sp-3736-story.html|title= Don Reese, NFL's Drug Buster, Back in Football With USFL|work= Los Angeles Times |access-date= November 10, 2012|first=Christine|last=Brennan|date=February 17, 1985}}</ref>

Reese was suspended for the final four games of the [[1980 New Orleans Saints season|1980 season]] by interim coach [[Dick Stanfel]] for instigating a fight during a practice with teammate [[Derland Moore]]. Stanfel was conducting his first practice session as Saints coach after taking over for [[Dick Nolan (American football)|Dick Nolan]], who was fired after the Saints fell to 0-12 in a loss to the [[Los Angeles Rams]] on ''[[Monday Night Football]]''. New Orleans finished 1-15, becoming the first NFL team to lose 15 games in a season.

In June 1982, Reese authored a lengthy article for ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' in which he detailed his struggles with drugs.  This was one of the first looks into the seedy world of money and drug use in the NFL.  .<ref>{{cite web | url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1982/06/14/im-not-worth-a-damn | title='I'm Not Worth a Damn' }}</ref>

Reese was named the [[Jackson State]] All-Century Team and was inducted into the JSU Athletic Hall of Fame

==Death==
On September 18, 2003, Reese died in [[Prichard, Alabama]], at age 52 from [[liver cancer]].<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qeQvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8TsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2565,7116680&dq=don+reese+dolphins+dies&hl=en Donald Reese]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://lifeinlegacy.com/2003/WIR20030920.html|title= Life In Legacy - Week of September 20, 2003|publisher= Life In Legacy|access-date= November 10, 2012|archive-date= October 28, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121028234018/http://lifeinlegacy.com/2003/WIR20030920.html|url-status= dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{Find a Grave|7887610}}

{{1974 NFL Draft}}
{{Dolphins1974DraftPicks}}
{{Miami Dolphins First Round Picks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reese, Don}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Mobile, Alabama]]
[[Category:American football defensive ends]]
[[Category:Jackson State Tigers football players]]
[[Category:Miami Dolphins players]]
[[Category:New Orleans Saints players]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers players]]
[[Category:Deaths from liver cancer in the United States]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Alabama]]
[[Category:Vigor High School alumni]]