PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bill Fralic Stitched Giorgio Tavecchio Jersey , the burly, bruising and athletic offensive lineman who starred for the Atlanta Falcons and was a three-time All-American at Pittsburgh, has died. He was 56.He had cancer and died Thursday at his home in suburban Atlanta, the university said.Fralic was the first offensive lineman to finish in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy balloting — finishing eighth in 1983 and sixth in 1984. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. The school retired his No. 79 at halftime of his final home game in 1984.Pitt made Fralic part of its inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, a class that included former teammate and Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.“Bill Fralic is the best,” Joe Moore, who worked as Pitt’s offensive line coach during Fralic’s career, once said. “If you can find somebody better, bring him to me. I’ve been privileged to coach some good ones here, but none better than Bill Fralic. Those kind only pass through once.”Atlanta selected Fralic with the second overall pick in the 1985 draft. He spent nine seasons in the league, including eight as one of the few bright spots during a difficult period for the Falcons. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and earned All-Pro honors in 1986 and 1987. The NFL placed him on its All-Decade Team for the 1980s even though Atlanta struggled during much of his career. The Falcons went 27-67-1 during Fralic’s first six seasons before finally reaching the playoffs in 1991.Current Atlanta owner Arthur Blank called Fralic a “cornerstone” of the franchise, adding “he was a beloved Falcon Youth Giorgio Tavecchio Jersey , and we will always be grateful for the impact he made here in Atlanta.”Fralic attempted to serve as a whistleblower against what he considered rampant steroid use in the NFL. In 1989 he told the U.S. Senate Judiciary committee that “steroid use in football represents a vicious cycle” and estimated that 75 percent of offensive and defensive linemen and tight ends used the performance-enhancing drug. Former Vice President Joe Biden, then chairman of the committee, lauded Fralic’s candor.It was just another area of Fralic’s life where he stood out.“Our football fraternity lost a great one,” tweeted former NFL defensive lineman Tony Casillas, a teammate of Fralic’s from 1986-89 before later facing Fralic while playing for Dallas. “I had so much respect for this man.”Fralic grew up in suburban Pittsburgh, starring at Penn Hill High School before joining the hometown Panthers. Fralic never forgot his roots, footing the hotel bill for the Penn Hills football team last week when the Indians traveled to Hershey, Pennsylvania, to play in the Class 5 A state title game, which they won.“Bill Fralic was not only an all-time player at the University of Pittsburgh, but also an all-time human being,” Pitt football coach Pat Narduzzi said. “His generosity Stitched Austin Hooper Jersey , support and concern for others was unmatched. For as hulking a figure as he was, Billy was even larger in his kindness and passion for others.”FOX Fantasy AutoForm a Racing Team, Compete for PrizesPlay Now!Falcons vs. Bengals: Final score predictions for Week 4 DWFalcons 24 - Bengals 21The Bengals defensive front could cause problems during the day. Geno Atkins in particular terrifies me. That said, the past two offensive performances makes me think that Steve Sarkisian is gaining confidence as a play caller and is already anticipating their defensive front. I think the Bengals will slow our offense more than the Saints and Panthers, but I also believe we have some good matchups against their offense. Getting Takk McKinley back will be the difference here, as I think he’ll keep Andy Dalton from getting too comfortable in the pocket and limit their offense just enough to get the win.Kevin KnightFalcons 31 - Bengals 24The Falcons offense will once again have to carry the team in this one. Cincinnati’s defense is better than New Orleans’, particularly in the pass rushing department, but not by much. They’ve also struggled against the run far more than the Saints, which could make the Falcons’ play-action offense even more dangerous and help keep Andy Dalton and the Bengals’ offense on the sidelines. That’s really the best hope for this Falcons defense in keeping Cincy under 30 points, although the return of Takk McKinley should help Atlanta get some pressure up front. It’ll probably be uncomfortable, but the Falcons should get back to .500 on Sunday.Adnan IkicFalcons 34 - Bengals 24I have full faith in the offense to keep humming against a team that couldn’t even begin to penetrate Carolina’s injury plagued offensive line this past Sunday. Tevin Coleman should find some more running lanes to work with this week than he saw against New Orleans, and Matt Ryan should find himself operating within a clean pocket. You just expect the offense to score every time they touch the ball at this point. On defense Youth Austin Hooper Jersey , the pass rush should make more of an impact than we saw last Sunday with the return of Takk McKinley. Get some pressure on Andy Dalton’s and make him play catch up and he’ll make some mistakes (four interceptions thrown last game). The Bengals’ offense won’t get shut down but they won’t keep up.Cory WoodroofFalcons 30 - Bengals 28 This game has me more conflicted than any in the immediate future for the Falcons. The Bengals offense are going to be able to do a lot of things effectively against Atlanta’s defense; this is not a good matchup in the slightest. If they can put A.J. Green in the slot and get Gio Bernard active in the passing game, this could be an ugly afternoon for the defenders. They’re already fighting an uphill climb with losing Ricardo Allen from a communication standpoint. Atlanta is going to have to score 30 once again to get out of Dodge on this, though the Bengals defense has talent. Expect this one to be a “to the last whistle” affair once more, with home field and a field goal the difference to get Atlanta to 2-2. It’s time for Atlanta’s defensive coaching staff to step up and fill in the gaps where the talent cannot.Dave ChoateFalcons 31 - Bengals 27A hard-fought, frustrating game that is in doubt until the end? Very little defense and plenty of offense? That sounds like a 2018 Falcons game, doesn’t it? Enough questions. Atlanta can win this game if the offense keeps humming and the defense gets its act together even a little, and I think they will. A loss here puts the Falcons in a rough spot, and they shouldn’t lack for motivation. Allen StrkFalcons 30 - Bengals 28Expect this to be the third consecutive topsy-turvy game inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With all the problems surrounding Atlanta’s defense, it’s hard to expect any straightforward games against half-decent opposition. The Bengals could be viewed as even better than half-decent. A rapidly improving offense featured a revamped coaching staff and plethora of playmakers will give Dan Quinn’s decimated defense serious problems. For all the defensive shortcomings, the offense appears to be ready for any challenge. Picking apart a subpar Bengals’ secondary shouldn’t be too difficult for Matt Ryan. As long as the protection holds up, the Falcons should win another high-scoring affair. Don’t be surprised to see Matt Bryant hit a game-winning field goal.
