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453:"I got banged around by older, stronger kids. I knew at the time I had to do a lot of work. I knew I had to go on drugs. I wasn't going to be out there just to be out there. I had to be the best. I only did steroids the summer before my sophomore year. My body weight went from 225 to 260 in a month and a half. I didn't need them after that."
473:
605 pounds (274 kg) but came to feel ashamed and guilty that he really didn't lift the weight – it was the power that steroids gave him. Courson was one of the first players to confess he had been using steroids during his playing career. He suffered from a heart condition which was believed to
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In the months before his death in 2005, Courson wrote a 5,000-word letter expressing disappointment that more players weren't open about their steroid use and saying the league's enormous popularity relies on a "myth" of its players as drug-free heroes. "I believe the NFL is a prisoner to their own
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public relations myth," Courson said in the letter, which was found on the computer of his western
Pennsylvania home after his death. "The level of deception and exploitation that the NFL requires to do business still amazes me." Courson, who became one of professional sports' first steroids
504:. Courson had been cutting down a 44-foot (13 m) tree on his property, but a gust of wind changed the direction of its fall, and he moved into its path while attempting to prevent his dog from being struck. The dog, a black
469:, was published. He was one of the first American football players to admit to using steroids and harshly criticized them, making nearly 100 speeches a year to high school and college athletes about their dangers. Courson
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interview, wrote the letter to a former
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for the rest of his life. In
November 2005, he died in an accident at his home in
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See
Courson v. Berte Bell NFL Player Retirement Paln, 214 F.3d 136 (3d Cir. 2000)
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by the NFL because of his outspoken stance on steroids. He had a spell as a
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619:"Steelers lost 18 former players since 2000 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review"
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426:. His #71 was retired, and he is the only football player in
380:(October 1, 1955 – November 10, 2005) was an
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Burials at
Evergreen Cemetery (Adams County, Pennsylvania)
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in the 1990s. Courson's wife Cathy died by suicide.
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51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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1918:Players of American football from Pennsylvania
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1903:South Carolina Gamecocks football players
477:After his career Courson was effectively
111:Learn how and when to remove this message
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578:William Oscar Johnson (May 13, 1985).
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474:have been caused by his steroid use.
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1883:People from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
586:. Sports Illustrated. Archived from
463:False Glory: The Steve Courson Story
49:adding citations to reliable sources
16:American football player (1955–2005)
1888:American football offensive linemen
430:history to receive such an honor.
14:
1908:Accidental deaths in Pennsylvania
192:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
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445:During his freshman year at the
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580:"Getting Physical-and Chemical"
516:by detailing his use in a 1985
36:needs additional citations for
284:Career highlights and awards
1:
449:, Courson later stated that:
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1361:Super Bowl XIV champions
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389:National Football League
182:Farmington, Pennsylvania
123:American football player
551:College football portal
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428:Gettysburg High School
409:Longmeadow High School
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441:Football and steroids
314:Career NFL statistics
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461:. In 1991, his book
459:Tampa Bay Buccaneers
378:Stephen Paul Courson
263:Tampa Bay Buccaneers
147:Personal information
45:improve this article
1356:Pittsburgh Steelers
825:Pittsburgh Steelers
689:Pittsburgh Steelers
625:on October 15, 2007
496:Courson lived near
411:. He played on the
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293:Super Bowl champion
249:Pittsburgh Steelers
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584:Sports Illustrated
527:Evergreen Cemetery
519:Sports Illustrated
506:Labrador retriever
205:Career information
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34:This article
32:
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1830:Louis Riecke
1798:
1780:
1702:Dwight White
1693:
1646:Ted Petersen
1598:Jack Lambert
1550:Mike Webster
1462:Donnie Shell
1430:J. T. Thomas
1414:Rocky Bleier
1406:Mike Kruczek
1395:
1291:Louis Riecke
1259:
1241:
1163:Dwight White
1154:
1091:Ted Petersen
1051:Jack Lambert
1011:Mike Webster
947:Donnie Shell
915:J. T. Thomas
891:Rocky Bleier
883:Cliff Stoudt
875:Mike Kruczek
864:
770:Alvin Cowans
761:Randy Frisch
746:
742:Cliff Stoudt
727:Ted Petersen
652:Find a Grave
627:. Retrieved
623:the original
613:
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592:. Retrieved
588:the original
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407:and went to
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177:(2005-11-10)
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43:Please help
38:verification
35:
18:
1878:2005 deaths
1873:1955 births
1844:Dick Walker
1781:Head coach:
1710:Larry Brown
1638:Tom Beasley
1542:Loren Toews
1446:Ron Johnson
1422:Mike Wagner
1305:Dick Walker
1242:Head coach:
1211:Jim Mandich
1171:Larry Brown
1083:Tom Beasley
1003:Loren Toews
931:Ron Johnson
907:Mike Wagner
764:Phil August
757:Paul Harris
717:Tom Beasley
479:blackballed
346:recoveries:
1867:Categories
1784:Chuck Noll
1758:Lynn Swann
1678:Joe Greene
1614:Willie Fry
1582:Robin Cole
1534:Tom Graves
1518:Mel Blount
1502:Rick Moser
1245:Chuck Noll
1219:Lynn Swann
1139:Joe Greene
1131:Ray Pinney
1067:Willie Fry
1035:Robin Cole
995:Mel Blount
979:Rick Moser
923:Ray Oldham
899:Tony Dungy
852:Roy Gerela
737:Dan Audick
707:Robin Cole
697:selections
594:August 28,
565:References
498:Pittsburgh
399:Early life
230:NFL draft:
214:Gettysburg
158:1955-10-01
132:No. 77, 72
71:newspapers
1837:Paul Uram
1816:Tom Moore
1809:Dick Hoak
1750:Jim Smith
1726:Theo Bell
1654:Gary Dunn
1590:Sam Davis
1383:Matt Bahr
1298:Paul Uram
1277:Tom Moore
1270:Dick Hoak
1203:Jim Smith
1187:Theo Bell
1099:Gary Dunn
1043:Sam Davis
722:Jim Smith
137:Position:
1799:Coaches:
1606:Jack Ham
1574:Jon Kolb
1260:Coaches:
1059:Jack Ham
1027:Jon Kolb
779:Lou West
629:June 16,
537:See also
467:steroids
391:(NFL)'s
387:for the
220:College:
417:defense
413:offense
333:started
197:Weight:
189:Height:
85:scholar
344:Fumble
331:Games
184:, U.S.
167:, U.S.
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529:, in
492:Death
486:coach
420:lines
385:guard
172:Died:
152:Born:
141:Guard
92:JSTOR
78:books
631:2007
596:2009
415:and
297:XIII
271:1985
267:1984
257:1983
253:1978
234:1977
64:news
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365:PFR
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301:XIV
291:2×
47:by
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