# Bryan Caldwell > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bryan_Caldwell > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bryan_Caldwell.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Caldwell > Source revision: 1350293876 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American football player (1960–2015)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Bryan Caldwell | image = | caption = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 4 | weight_lbs = 248 | position = [Defensive end](/source/Defensive_end) | number = 79 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1960|5|6}} | birth_place = [Oakland, California](/source/Oakland%2C_California), U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|1|3|1960|5|6|mf=y}} | death_place = [Bay City, Texas](/source/Bay_City%2C_Texas), U.S. | draftyear = 1983 | draftround = 3 | draftpick = 77 | high_school = [Fountain Valley](/source/Fountain_Valley_High_School) {{nowrap|([Fountain Valley, California](/source/Fountain_Valley%2C_California))}} | college = [Arizona State](/source/Arizona_State_Sun_Devils_football) | pastteams = * [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys) ({{NFL Year|1983}}) * [Houston Oilers](/source/Houston_Oilers) ({{NFL Year|1984}}) * [Philadelphia Eagles](/source/Philadelphia_Eagles) ({{NFL Year|1985}})* * [Arizona Outlaws](/source/Arizona_Outlaws) ([1986](/source/1986_USFL_season))* | highlights = * Second-team [All-Pac-10](/source/List_of_All-Pac-12_Conference_football_teams) ([1982](/source/1982_All-Pacific-10_Conference_football_team)) | statlabel1 = Games played | statvalue1 = 8 | pfr = CaldBr21 }} '''Bryan Craig Caldwell''' (May 6, 1960 – January 3, 2015) was an American professional [football](/source/American_football) [defensive end](/source/defensive_end) in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL) for the [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys) and [Houston Oilers](/source/Houston_Oilers). He played [college football](/source/college_football) at [Arizona State University](/source/Arizona_State_University). ==Early life== Caldwell attended [Fountain Valley High School](/source/Fountain_Valley_High_School), where he was a two-way lineman and set a school record with 20 sacks in 2 years. He was considered one of the nation's top defensive recruits and received All-county honors. He also practiced [track](/source/track_and_field) and [volleyball](/source/volleyball). ==College career== Caldwell accepted a football scholarship from [Arizona State University](/source/Arizona_State_University). As a sophomore in 1979, he was named the starter at left defensive end. In October, he received heavy criticism after publicly confirming to athletic director Fred Miller, that head football coach [Frank Kush](/source/Frank_Kush) punched [punter](/source/Punter_(gridiron_football)) Kevin Rutledge.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/252545136/?match=1&terms=%22bryan%20caldwell%22%20kush%20punch|title=Kush Blames Booster Club Member|publisher=The Star Press|date=October 18, 1979|access-date=January 4, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/former-asu-defensive-end-bryan-caldwell-dies-at-54|title=Former ASU defensive end Bryan Caldwell dies at 54|work=Fox Sports|date=January 6, 2015|access-date=January 4, 2020}} As a junior in 1980, he was moved to right [defensive end](/source/defensive_end). He registered 111 total tackles (fourth on the team) and 5 fumble recoveries (school record). He also blocked a punt and returned it for a 46-yard [touchdown](/source/touchdown) against [Ohio State University](/source/Ohio_State_University). In 1981, he missed the spring semester while attending [Mesa Community College](/source/Mesa_Community_College) to regain his academic eligibility.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120947527/?match=1&terms=%22bryan%20caldwell%22%20%22mesa%20college%22|title=2 football players leave Arizona State|publisher=The Arizona Republic|date=January 20, 1981|access-date=January 4, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/387568040/?match=1&terms=%22bryan%20caldwell%22%20%22mesa%20college%22|title=Caldwell: Living the Life of a Hitchcock Movie|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=August 5, 1981|access-date=January 4, 2020}} He returned to the team in August, but was ruled academically ineligible to play football for the season. [Jim Jeffcoat](/source/Jim_Jeffcoat) was moved from [nose tackle](/source/nose_tackle) to right defensive end to replace him.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120274413/?match=1&terms=%22bryan%20caldwell%22%20%22Walt%20Bowyer%22|title=Surviving last season toughened '81 Devils |publisher=The Arizona Republic|date=September 9, 1981|access-date=January 4, 2020}} As a senior in 1982, he returned to play and was named the starter at left defensive end over [Walt Bowyer](/source/Walt_Bowyer).{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121645462/?match=1&terms=%22bryan%20caldwell%22%20%22Walt%20Bowyer%22|title=Big Hit: ASU defender remembers last year's meeting with Stanford QB|publisher=The Arizona Republic|date=October 7, 1982|access-date=January 4, 2020}} He was a part of the number one ranked defense in the nation, known as the Cactus Crunch. He played alongside Jeffcoat, [Vernon Maxwell](/source/Vernon_Maxwell_(American_football)) and [Mike Richardson](/source/Mike_Richardson_(American_football%2C_born_1961)).{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121439970/?match=2&terms=%22bryan%20caldwell%22%20mesa|title=Caldwell unexpected stalwart of Sun Devils' defensive line|publisher=The Arizona Republic|date=October 28, 1982|access-date=January 4, 2020}} He finished the year tied with Maxwell for the team lead in tackles-for-loss (8), fourth on the team in total tackles (114) and returned an interception for a 20-yard [touchdown](/source/touchdown) against [Kansas State University](/source/Kansas_State_University).{{cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/territorial-cup/2014/11/26/ex-asu-football-star-bryan-caldwell-goes-forward-terms/70123404/|title=Ex-ASU football star Bryan Caldwell goes forward on his terms|publisher=The Arizona Republic|access-date=January 4, 2020}} ==Professional career== ===Dallas Cowboys=== Caldwell was selected by the [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys) in the third round (77th overall) of the [1983 NFL draft](/source/1983_NFL_draft). He was also selected by the [Arizona Wranglers](/source/Arizona_Wranglers) in the [1983 USFL Territorial Draft](/source/1983_USFL_Territorial_Draft). He suffered torn knee ligaments in his left knee during the first week of [training camp](/source/Training_camp_(National_Football_League)) and was placed on the [injured reserve list](/source/injured_reserve_list).{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=892&dat=19830715&id=nlhQAAAAIBAJ&pg=5488,2392831|title=Skin newcomers arrive|publisher=The Courier |access-date=January 4, 2020}} He didn't regain his previous form and was released on August 27, [1984](/source/1984_NFL_season).{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1982&dat=19840828&id=U15GAAAAIBAJ&pg=2558,2832987|title=Transactions|publisher=The Evening News|access-date=January 4, 2020}} ===Houston Oilers=== On September 20, [1984](/source/1984_NFL_season), he was signed as a [free agent](/source/free_agent) by the [Houston Oilers](/source/Houston_Oilers) to replace an injured [Jerome Foster](/source/Jerome_Foster_(American_football)).{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/120135624/|title=Olers Lose Foster|date=September 21, 1984 |publisher=Arizona Republic|access-date=January 4, 2020}} He played in 8 games at [defensive end](/source/defensive_end), before being waived during the season. ===Philadelphia Eagles=== On May 8, [1985](/source/1985_NFL_season), he signed with the [Philadelphia Eagles](/source/Philadelphia_Eagles) as a [free agent](/source/free_agent) and was waived on August 27.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19850828&id=WP5TAAAAIBAJ&pg=5541,8642224|title=Transactions|publisher=Boca Raton News|access-date=January 4, 2020}} ===Arizona Outlaws=== On January 6, [1986](/source/1986_USFL_season), he signed a one-year contract with the [Arizona Outlaws](/source/Arizona_Outlaws) of the [United States Football League](/source/United_States_Football_League).{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-01-13-sp-27740-story.html|title=Orange County Prep Review|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=13 January 1986 |access-date=January 4, 2020}} ==Personal life== Caldwell worked as an inspector for the city of [Scottsdale, Arizona](/source/Scottsdale%2C_Arizona). His son, Kyle Caldwell, played defensive end for Arizona State from 2003 to 2006. He died of cancer in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2015/01/03/asu-football-bryan-caldwell/21242607/|title=Former ASU defensive lineman Bryan Caldwell dies at 54|publisher=The Arizona Republic|access-date=January 4, 2020}} ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Cowboys1983DraftPicks}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Caldwell, Bryan}} Category:1960 births Category:2015 deaths Category:Players of American football from Oakland, California Category:American football defensive ends Category:Arizona State Sun Devils football players Category:Dallas Cowboys players Category:Deaths from Hodgkin lymphoma Category:Deaths from lymphoma in Texas Category:Houston Oilers players Category:Mesa Community College alumni Category:Sportspeople from Fountain Valley, California Category:Fountain Valley High School alumni Category:20th-century American sportsmen --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bryan Caldwell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Caldwell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Caldwell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.