From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bill Stevenson (June 4, 1951 in High Prairie, Alberta – March 19, 2007 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos. After playing college football at Drake University, he was drafted by the NFL's Miami Dolphins and played in the World Football League with the Memphis Southmen for two seasons. Then Stevenson spent his entire 14 year CFL career with the Eskimos, the first three as a defensive lineman and the remainder as an offensive lineman. He was named CFL All-Star 2 times and was a part of seven Grey Cup championship teams with the Eskimos.

Unfortunately, Stevenson fell on hard times after his playing career. He struggled in his business and personal life, suffered through bankruptcy and divorce, and at times was forced to take refuge in shelters for the homeless. He is believed to have died in a freak accident when, drunk, he slipped and fell straight backwards down the stairs in his mother’s home in Edmonton.

On November 19, 2008, the CBC Television show The Fifth Estate suggested that Stevenson, who went through years of alcohol abuse and destitution, suffered from the effects of years of unreported head injuries from playing professional football. Teammates York Hentschel and David Boone are believed to have suffered from the same injuries.^[1]

References