Dave Pureifory
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| Position | Defensive end, Defensive tackle | ||||||||
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| Born | July 12, 1949 Pensacola, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | March 5, 2009 (aged 59) Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 260 lb (118 kg) | ||||||||
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| College | Eastern Michigan | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1972: 6th round, 142nd overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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David Lee Pureifory (July 12, 1949 – March 5, 2009) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end and defensive tackle for three teams in an 11-year career in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Eastern Michigan Eagles
Early life
[edit]Pureifory was born in Pensacola, Florida, and grew up in Ecorse, Michigan. Following his graduation from Ecorse High School in 1968, he attended college at Eastern Michigan University, where he played football. He received first-team honors on the 1970 Little All-America college football team.[1]
Football career
[edit]He was selected in the 6th round of the 1972 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers,[2] where he played primarily in a backup role as defensive tackle. While he was known for his play on defense, for two games in 1975 he was called upon to fill-in for injured kicker Chester Marcol. In four extra point attempts, Pureifory was successful twice;.[3][2]
The Packers traded Pureifory to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a fifth-round selection in a draft day trade in 1978. The Steelers subsequent moved him to the New England Patriots for their 1979 sixth-round pick.[citation needed] [4] The Patriots released him prior to the 1978 season. He was picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals, but went to the Detroit Lions mid-season as a free agent. It was in Detroit where he saw his greatest success, starting every game he played there,[5] and winning Detroit's Most Valuable Defensive Player honors in 1980.[6] While having one of his best seasons in 1982, Pureifory sustained leg injuries that ended his NFL career. Nonetheless, he later played with the Michigan Panthers and Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League.
Post-football career
[edit]In 1981 Purifory was elected to Eastern Michigan’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He died March 5, 2009, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, from prostate cancer at the age of 59.[7]
Notes and references
[edit]- ^ "A.P.'s Little All-American". The Morning News. December 10, 1970. p. 42 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090308/PKR01/90308019/1057/PKR&located=RSS[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Packers.com » History » All Time Roster » Player » Dave Pureifory". Archived from the original on March 28, 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
- ^ "May 2, 1978: Packers draft full of surprises". Packers News.
- ^ "Dave Pureifory Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ Free P [dead link]
- ^ "Former Packer dies of cancer". www.jsonline.com. Retrieved June 15, 2024.