BREAKING: Longhorn Legend and College Football Hall of Famer Kenneth Sims Passes Away at 65, Leaving a Monumental Legacy as Texas’ First Lombardi Winner, No. 1 NFL Draft Pick & Traceable Civil Rights Pioneer in Major Historic Passing Stirring Outpouring of Remembrance
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas football and broader college football community is in mourning this weekend, as Kenneth Wayne “Special K” Sims—a Longhorns legend, 1981 Lombardi Trophy winner, unanimous All-American, College Football Hall of Famer, and the No. 1 overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft—has passed away at the age of 65. The former defensive end died in his sleep on March 21 in Waynesville, North Carolina, after battling a lengthy illness .
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🏆 A Legacy Defined by Domination and Leadership
Born in Kosse, Texas, in October 1959, Sims walked on at the University of Texas in 1978 with raw talent. By his junior season, he had exploded into a force on the Defensive Line. Over his college career from 1978–1981, Sims totaled:
322 tackles, including 50 tackles for loss
29 sacks (fourth in school history)
A school-record 15 forced fumbles
Seven fumble recoveries and three blocked kicks .
His 1981 senior campaign earned unanimous First-Team All-America and he became the first-ever Longhorn to win the Lombardi Award. He also claimed the 1981 UPI Lineman of the Year accolade and finished eighth in Heisman voting—with three first-place votes—an extraordinary honor for a defensive player .
The Longhorns, led defensively by Sims, finished 10–1–1 in 1981 and capped the season with a 1982 Cotton Bowl win over Alabama, achieving a consensus No. 2 national ranking .
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💼 Ascending to the NFL—Super Bowl Pedigree
Later in April 1982, Sims became only the third Texas player ever taken No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft, selected by the New England Patriots . He played eight impactful seasons with New England, including the unforgettable 1985 season that ended in Super Bowl XX. Though a late-season broken leg prevented him from playing in the game itself, he finished that season with 96 tackles and 5.5 sacks .
A rugged career defined by 17 total sacks in 74 games, Sims later signed with the Buffalo Bills before health issues led to his retirement in 1992 .
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🎖️ Honors, Activism, and Enduring Impact
Sims’s influence extended well beyond his playing days:
Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021
Honored by the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor in 1997
A fierce advocate for free agency and players’ rights, he famously fought for reform and later battled through rehab to triumph in life and career .
Pioneered community support and equity: from scholarship endowments for women’s athletics at Texas to breaking social barriers in the Southwest Conference .
Former teammates praised him for his personal values: “He was a genuinely nice, humble, small‑town guy,” said linebacker Eric Holle .
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🕊️ Widespread Mourning Across the Football World
The news of Sims’s passing triggered tributes across social media and news outlets:
UT Athletics posted: “Very sad day with the passing of our Longhorn Legend and College Football Hall of Famer Kenneth Sims. Our thoughts & prayers go out to his family…” .
The New England Patriots organization expressed sorrow and remembered him as a key figure in their first AFC Championship team .
The National Football Foundation honored his legacy, recognizing both his on-field dominance and off-field grace .
The Houston Chronicle reflected that he “anchored some of the strongest defenses in school history… a genuinely nice, humble, small‑town guy.” .
Former teammates remembered him fondly, noting both his fierce presence on the field and his quiet leadership off it .
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🔭 Looking Forward: Services and Legacy Continued
Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, April 5 at 11 a.m. at Mt. Zion Church in Kosse, Texas, with Robertson Funeral Home overseeing arrangements . In Lubbock and across Longhorn Nation, preparations are underway to honor him during spring games and athletic ceremonies.
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🏁 Final Word—A Legend Recalled
Kenneth Sims was not just a Texas legend—he was a transformational figure whose legacy endures in stats sheets, in activism for athlete rights, and in the hearts of legions of Longhorns and Patriots fans. He marched onto the Forty Acres as an unknown talent and left as a historic trailblazer who reshaped defensive line play and stood tall as a man of principle and compassion.
As one former teammate said, “There’ll never be another ‘Special K’.” Today, his impact is undeniable, and his life will be celebrated forever in the records and memories of college football greatness.
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