Steve Zabel was one of the most versatile football players of his era. He did things on a football field that most players could not dream of. The former Philadelphia Eagles star passed away on Wednesday, June 25, at the age of 78, per the New York Post. No cause of death was given.

Zabel played three seasons at Oklahoma under head coach Chuck Fairbanks, lining up at tight end, defensive end, and punter at various points during his time with the Sooners. He explained exactly how that two-way role came about.

"Chuck Fairbanks called me in his office and said, 'Steve, we've proven we can't outscore people. We want you to play defensive end as well as tight end and see if we can't win some games," Zabel recalled in a 2021 interview with the Eagles. "For me, it was a great transition. I played both ways and punted, and we won our last six games in a row and won the Big Eight Championship."

Zabel finished his college career with 63 catches for 773 yards and eight touchdowns, earned Second-Team All-American honors in 1968, and was named a first-team All-American as a senior, per PennLive.

The Eagles selected him sixth overall in the 1970 NFL Draft. His rookie season did not go smoothly on offense, though.

"As a rookie tight end, I'd gotten kicked out of three games for fighting," Zabel said, per the New York Post. "And at the end of the year, they told me they didn't think I had the proper temperament to be successful on offense and wanted to move me to outside linebacker. I jumped at the opportunity."

He shed 40 pounds from his 270-pound blocking tight end frame to make the switch. It was the right call. He went on to play 110 games on defense across his career, recording 13 fumble recoveries and 14 sacks, per the New York Post.

Zabel spent 10 years of his career with the Eagles, Patriots, and the Baltimore Colts. He played in 124 total games and made 95 starts across his 10-year career.

Zabel spent his post-football life giving back in Oklahoma City

His time in the NFL was done by 1979, but Zabel never really walked away from football. He went back to Oklahoma City and spent years coaching high school players and running charitable programs in the community, per PennLive.

In 2015, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame recognized everything he had built both on and off the field by inducting him into their ranks.

He leaves behind his wife, three children, grandchildren, and a great-grandchild, per the New York Post.

What are your thoughts on the legacy Steve Zabel left behind? Share them in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore