Darren Drozdov, a former N.F.L. soccer participant who pursued a profession in professional wrestling that was minimize brief after an accident within the ring that paralyzed him, died on Friday. He was 54.
His demise, at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Heart in Pomona, N.J., was confirmed by his sister, Rommi Drozdov, and his agent and longtime pal, Cliff Stein. A reason for demise was not instantly clear.
Earlier than Drozdov made his mark within the wrestling world, he first got here to the general public’s consideration as an N.FL. participant after he vomited on a soccer at a Monday evening sport, Mr. Stein stated. Some experiences point out that he puked greater than as soon as.
Drozdov grew up in Mays Touchdown, N.J., the place he spent most of his grownup life. He attended the College of Maryland, the place he performed soccer, and graduated in 1992 with a bachelor’s diploma in prison justice.
After commencement, he was signed as an undrafted rookie for the Denver Broncos. Drozdov, who was 6 ft 3 inches tall and weighed 280 kilos when he performed soccer, additionally had stints with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.
Whereas he was taking part in for the Montreal Alouettes, knowledgeable Canadian soccer staff, he began to consider a profession in professional wrestling, Mr. Stein stated. It was one thing that had all the time been behind his thoughts.
“His persona was so colourful, and the mohawks and the tattoos and the best way he talked, everybody would say, ‘You’re a wrestler,’” Mr. Stein recalled. “He would name you ‘brother.’ He’d choose you up. His presence was so huge.”
Drozdov, who was often known as Droz and Puke, was ultimately accepted to a WWE coaching program. After that, he was put into extra matches. He turned a member of the Highway Warriors, a well-liked tag staff, and have become identified for his “Droz’s World” vignettes, the WWE stated.
Early in his profession, he was in a WWE coaching program with different notable wrestlers like Matt Bloom, often known as Prince Albert, and Dwayne Johnson, the actor often known as the Rock, who mourned Drozdov’s demise on Twitter.
“We wrestled on numerous playing cards collectively,” he wrote. “Such an superior dude. Nice persona and nice wrestling expertise. We all the time talked about soccer and fishing. Sending love, energy, mana and lightweight to his household. RIP brother.”
Throughout a 1999 wrestling match on the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., Drozdov sustained an damage that rendered him quadriplegic, bringing his wrestling profession to an finish.
He fractured two discs in his neck in a stunt gone fallacious after he was thrown to the mat by his opponent, D’Lo Brown, and landed on his head as an alternative of his again.
Darren Drozdov was born in Wilmington, Del., on April 7, 1969, the son of Olaf and Cyndi Drozdov. His mom labored in actual property and owned three laundromats, and his father was a professor at Atlantic Cape Neighborhood Faculty in New Jersey.
Survivors embrace his dad and mom and his sister. A wedding in 1999 resulted in divorce in 2001.
Drozdov’s sister helped look after him after he was injured. He spent a lot of his time cheering on her 4 youngsters, she stated.
“He beloved watching them develop up,” Ms. Drozdov stated. “He would go to all of the soccer video games, soccer, tennis, every part. You might all the time discover him on a sideline that my youngsters are on.”
He additionally continued to hunt, certainly one of many outside sports activities he loved.
Kevin Plank, Drozdov’s pal and the founding father of the sportswear firm Underneath Armour, facilitated the design of a wheelchair that was basically a “tank with wheels,” permitting Drozdov to maneuver by way of the woods, Mr. Stein stated.
Drozdov’s members of the family described him as being relentlessly constructive within the aftermath of the wrestling accident.
In a press release, they cited his personal phrases.
“There may be all the time one other day,” he stated. “Simply because I’m paralyzed and caught in a wheelchair doesn’t imply my life is over. I’ve realized to reside once more, and my life is way from over.”