Bennie Cunningham

Bennie Lee Cunningham, Jr. (December 23, 1954 – April 23, 2018[1]) was an American professional football player who was a tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was born to Bennie Lee Cunningham Sr., and Carol Cunningham. He was selected out of the Clemson University in the 1976 NFL Draft by the Steelers.[2] During his career, he played in 118 games and caught 202 receptions for 2,879 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Bennie Cunningham
refer to caption
Cunningham at Clemson in 1975
No. 89
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born:(1954-12-23)December 23, 1954
Laurens, South Carolina, U.S.
Died:April 23, 2018(2018-04-23) (aged 63)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Height:6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:254 lb (115 kg)
Career information
High school:Seneca (Seneca, South Carolina)
College:Clemson
NFL draft:1976 / Round: 1 / Pick: 28
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:202
Receiving yards:2,879
Receiving TDs:20
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Cunningham's most famous play in the NFL was a game-winning touchdown in a Pittsburgh home game versus divisional rival Cleveland on September 24, 1978. It came on a flea-flicker play, culminating in a pass from Terry Bradshaw to Cunningham, who caught the ball in the back right corner of the end zone. It gave the Steelers a dramatic 15–9 victory over the Browns in sudden-death overtime.

On April 23, 2018, Cunningham died at age 63 at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where he had been fighting cancer for about three months.

NFL career statistics
Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Bold Career high

Regular season
Year Team Games Receiving
GPGSRecYdsAvgLngTD
1976PIT 1205499.8201
1977PIT 12112034717.4432
1978PIT 661632120.1482
1979PIT 1573651214.2414
1980PIT 1511823212.9352
1981PIT 15154157414.0303
1982PIT 992127713.2312
1983PIT 16163544212.6293
1984PIT 7446416.0291
1985PIT 111166110.2170
118802022,87914.34820

Playoffs
Year Team Games Receiving
GPGSRecYdsAvgLngTD
1976PIT 214369.0290
1977PIT 1034214.0190
1979PIT 334358.8161
1982PIT 1155511.0161
1983PIT 1123216.0180
1984PIT 2111919.0190
1071921911.5292

References
  1. Matt Connolly, "Former Clemson, Steelers great Bennie Cunningham dies from cancer", The State, April 23, 2018
  2. "Bennie Cunningham Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 24, 2023.


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