Written Creg Stephenson at AL.com
Former Alabama and NFL fullback Kevin Turner, who died Thursday after a long battle with the neurodegenerative disease ALS, is perhaps best remembered his toughness and versatility as a player and later his perseverance in fighting a deadly illness.
Turner, who was 46, played fullback at Alabama from 1988-91. He then spent eight seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, retiring after the 1999 season.
The 6-foot-1, 241-pound Prattville native was an outstanding two-way fullback in his Alabama days. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry for his career, and also caught 95 passes, including 48 as a sophomore for a Crimson Tide team that shared in the SEC championship.
Turner was also known as a punishing blocker, leading the way for such Crimson Tide standouts as Bobby Humphrey and Siran Stacy. He carried that style to the NFL after the Patriots selected him in the third round of the 1992 draft.
Turner spent three seasons with the Patriots, catching a career-best 52 passes in 1994. He then signed as a free agent with the Eagles, but missed nearly all of the 1995 season due to a knee injury.
Turner returned to the field in 1996, and was presented with the Ed Block Courage Award for overcoming his injuries. With Turner as his lead blocker, Ricky Watters led the NFL with 1,855 yards from scrimmage that season.
Turner played in all 16 games for three straight years before a pair of neck injuries suffered during the 1999 season ended his career. He retired with 236 receptions for 2,015 yards and 10 touchdowns, to go along with 635 yards rushing and a 4.0-yard average.
Turner was diagnosed with ALS in 2010, and later became involved in research and support for traumatic football brain injuries. In 2012, he was the subject of the documentary American Man, produced in conjunction with HBO Sports’ Jon Frankel.
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