Ex-Steelers player under indictment dies
Former Pittsburgh Steelers player Terry Long, facing federal arson charges in connection with a million-dollar insurance scheme, died Tuesday afternoon. An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the cause of death.
An ambulance and Franklin Park police were dispatched to Long's home along Sturbridge Drive about 9:30 a.m. yesterday. Long, 45, died about 3 p.m. at UPMC Passavant hospital in McCandless.
The Allegheny County Coroner's Office said an autopsy would be performed this morning because the cause of Long's death was not immediately clear.
UPMC Passavant officials said federal confidentiality laws prevented them from saying why Long was at the hospital or whether he died during emergency treatment. Franklin Park police released no further details.
Neighbors said an eight-count federal indictment alleging fraud and arson had taken its toll on the formerly robust Long, who was the starting right guard for the Steelers from 1984-91.
Long had attempted suicide by swallowing rat poison after he was suspended in 1991 for violating the NFL's steroid policy. The federal grand-jury indictment in March prompted another suicide attempt, said a neighbor, Susan Donaldson, who said Long told her he had swallowed antifreeze.
"I said: 'Of all things, why that?' And he said: 'I needed rest,' " Donaldson recalled.
She said that after swallowing the antifreeze, Long checked into Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Oakland for treatment.
"It's very sad for us," Donaldson said. "Terry was a lovely man. He was down on his luck and just didn't know what to do."
The federal indictment alleged that Long fraudulently obtained $1.17 million in loans and grants for his chicken-processing plant on the North Side. It also alleged that he set fire to the plant as part of a scheme to collect $1.19 million in insurance.
If convicted of the charges, Long faced up to 55 years in prison and a fine of as much as $2 million.
Donaldson said Long came to her home two weeks ago to talk about some of his travails. He had undergone surgery to remove his thyroid, she said. Donaldson said she had planned to bake him a cake but hadn't found the time.
She said she talked to him on the telephone Saturday and asked how he was doing.
"He said he was OK, but he was very quiet," Donaldson said.
She said that in recent years, Long had retreated. Former players used to visit him at the home that he had built more than 18 years ago. Those visits became infrequent, Donaldson said, and then ended.
She recalled that when Long played for the Steelers, he used to enjoy talking with her about his performance after a big game. In recent years, when she called to ask him about Steelers games, he quickly moved on to other subjects.
Another neighbor, Janet Dentici, said Long came over about 7:30 a.m. Sunday before church to talk to her husband, Joseph. She said she was surprised at how gaunt Long looked. Dentici said the visit was a surprise because Long usually kept to himself and had become very private.
Former Steelers Coach Chuck Noll said Long competed hard when he was in the NFL.
"Terry was a guy who wanted it very badly, no question about it," Noll said.
He recalled that Long worked hard with the weights to get himself in shape and worked on his technique. After his playing days, Long seemed to disappear, Noll said. He didn't frequent the golf outings like other former players.
"We try to help anybody who wants to be helped," Noll said. "You can't do it for somebody you can never find, though."
Former teammates struggled with their emotions, recalling a cutup in the locker room and a man who worked out hard with weights to bulk up his smaller frame. They remembered him as a man of faith.
Former teammate Tunch Ilkin recalled one game with the Arizona Cardinals.
"It was 120 degrees, and he was saying in a funny voice: 'I can't do it. I can't do it,' " Ilkin said. "He would do these funny imitations, and you'd just start laughing."
"He was just an unusual personality," said former teammate Craig Wolfley. "In one way, he was such a strong and tough guy, and in another, he had very innocent qualities about him."
Staff Writer Joe Bendel contributed to this report. Additional Information:
Terry L. Long
College: East Carolina
Drafted by the Steelers: Fourth round, 1984 (111th overall pick)
Professional career: Steeler guard, 1984-91
Games played: 105
Jersey number: 74
