Luis Sharpe
Cuban gridiron football player (1960–2025)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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).
Havana, Cuba
Michigan, U.S.
| No. 67 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Offensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | June 16, 1960 Havana, Cuba | ||||||||
| Died | July 11, 2025 (aged 65) Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 295 lb (134 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Southwestern (Detroit, Michigan, U.S.) | ||||||||
| College | UCLA | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1982 (1st round, 16th overall pick) | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Early life
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]
