Tom Pate

Tom Pate (July 21, 1952 – October 21, 1975) was an American football linebacker who played in the Canadian Football League. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, he was a three-time letterman and a member of the Cornhuskers' 1971 national championship team. He joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1975 and played 12 regular-season games as a rookie. On October 11, 1975, during a game against the Stampeders in Calgary, he suffered an aneurysm after striking his head on the turf while being blocked. He never regained consciousness and died three days later at age 23. His death led to the creation of the Tom Pate Memorial Award, given annually by the CFL Players' Association.