Darren Drozdov, who had a short career as an NFL player and then rose to fame as a professional wrestler, has died at the age of 54.
Drozdov played college football in Maryland and made it to the Broncos as a defensive tackle in 1993, the only year he played in the regular season. He also spent time with the Jets and Eagles, as well as in the CFL.
During the 1993 pre-season, Drozdov achieved some notoriety when he vomited on football during a nationally televised game. Drozdov told reporters that vomiting is a problem over which he has no control.
“I often get sick,” Drozdov said at the time. “I was quarterback in high school and started throwing up on my center’s back. I don’t have much control out there.”
After his professional football career ended, Drozdov’s bad stomach actually helped his career. He was featured in the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat where he met Vince McMahon and was ordered to throw up in his office when McMahon goaded him and nicknamed him “Puke”.
But Drozdov’s professional wrestling career was cut short when he suffered a serious spinal cord injury during a WWF match. When another wrestler punched Drozdov, he landed on his head and fractured two vertebrae. He never left.
Drozdov’s family released a statement today attributing his death to “natural causes”.