Darren Drozdov, a former NFL football player who was pursuing a career in professional wrestling that was cut short after an accident in the ring that left him paralyzed, died Friday. He was 54.
His death at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Pomona, New Jersey was confirmed by his sister Rommi Drozdov and his agent and longtime friend Cliff Stein. A cause of death was not immediately clear.
Before making a name for himself in the wrestling world, Mr. Drozdov first came to public attention as the N.FL. Mr Stein said after throwing up on a football at a game on Monday night. Some reports indicate that he threw up more than once.
Mr. Drozdov grew up in Mays Landing, New Jersey, where he spent most of his adult life. He attended the University of Maryland, where he played football, and graduated in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
After graduating, he was signed as an undrafted rookie for the Denver Broncos. Mr. Drozdov, who played football 5’3″ and weighed 250 pounds, also played for the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles.
While playing for the Montreal Alouettes, a Canadian professional soccer team, he began considering a career in professional wrestling, Mr. Stein said. It was something he had always had in the back of his mind.
“His personality was so colorful, and the mohawk and tattoos and the way he talked, everyone would be like, ‘You’re a wrestler,'” recalled Mr. Stein. “He would call you ‘brother’.” He would pick you up. His presence was so great.”
Known as Droz and Puke, Mr. Drozdov was eventually accepted into a WWE training program. After that he was used in other games. He became a member of the Road Warriors, a popular tag team, and is best known for his “Droz’s World” vignettes, WWE said.
Earlier in his career, he participated in a WWE training program with other notable wrestlers such as Matt Bloom, known as Prince Albert, and Dwayne Johnson, the actor known as The Rock, who was mourning Mr Drozdov’s death on twitter.
“We fought for many cards together,” Mr Johnson wrote. “Such a great guy. Great personality and great wrestling talent. We always talked about football and fishing. He sends love, power, mana and light to his family. RIP brother.”
During a 1999 wrestling match at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY, Mr. Drozdov suffered an injury that left him paraplegic and ended his wrestling career.
In a failed stunt after being thrown to the mat by his opponent D’Lo Brown, he fractured two discs in his neck and landed on his head instead of his back.
Mr. Drozdov was born on April 7, 1969 in Wilmington, Del. to Olaf and Cyndi Drozdov. His mother worked in real estate and owned three laundromats, and his father was a professor at Atlantic Cape Community College in New Jersey.
Survivors include Mr. Drozdov’s parents and sister. A marriage from 1999 ended in divorce in 2001.
Mr. Drozdov’s sister helped care for him after he was injured. He spent much of his time cheering on their four children, she said.
“He loved watching them grow up,” Ms. Drozdov said. “He went to all the football games, to football, to tennis, to everything. You could always find it in my children’s sideline.”
He also continued to hunt, one of the many outdoor sports he enjoyed.
Kevin Plank, friend of Mr. Drozdov and founder of sportswear company Under Armor, enabled the development of a wheelchair that was essentially a “wheeled tank” and allowed Mr. Drozdov to move through the woods, Mr. Stein said.
Mr. Drozdov’s family members described him as relentlessly positive about the wrestling accident.
In a statement, they quoted his own words.
“There’s always another day,” he said. “Just because I’m paralyzed and in a wheelchair doesn’t mean my life is over. I have learned to live again and my life is far from over.”