Eric Sievers

Eric Scott Sievers (November 9, 1957 – April 10, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a tight end for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the San Diego Chargers. He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins before being selected by the Chargers in the fourth round of the 1981 NFL draft. Sievers was named to the NFL All-Rookie team in 1981. He played in the NFL from 1981 to 1990 for the Chargers, Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots.

Early life and college Born in Urbana, Illinois, on November 9, 1957, Sievers grew up in Arlington, Virginia.

At the University of Maryland, College Park, Sievers established himself as a strong blocker, but he did not catch the ball much as the Terrapins did not pass often.

Professional career Sievers was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 1981 NFL draft with the 107th overall pick. In his first season in 1981, Sievers started 10 games while frequently replacing Kellen Winslow when the All-Pro tight end lined up outside as a wingback. United Press International named Sievers to their NFL All-Rookie team. A four-hour contest played under hot and humid conditions, the game came to be known as the Epic in Miami and voted by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the "NFL's Game of the '80s". The Chargers fell one game short of the Super Bowl, losing the following week's AFC Championship Game 27–7 to Cincinnati in the coldest playoff game in NFL history at wind chill, dubbed the "Freezer Bowl".

A solid blocker, In 1984, Sievers, Holohan, and Winslow contributed to the Chargers' 164 receptions by the tight end position, setting an NFL single-season record for tight ends on a team. (Holohan (56 catches), Winslow (55) and Sievers (41) combined for 152 receptions.) Ron Egloff had 11, The Associated Press wrote in 2005 that the 1984 Chargers' tight ends had 163 catches. Sievers began the 1985 season with 30 receptions and five touchdowns in the first seven games, but had just 11 catches for one score in the final nine games after Winslow returned from his injury coupled with the offense's shift to get Lionel James and Gary Anderson more involved.

After catching 149 passes through his first five seasons, Sievers was limited by injuries and minimal playing time and had just three catches over the next three seasons. In 1988, he was placed on injured reserve with a neck injury. According to Sievers, his injury was not severe enough to warrant the move. "It gave them an opening to bring in the people they really wanted to have", he said. San Diego tried to activate him by passing him through waivers, but he was claimed by the Los Angeles Rams. He signed with the Miami Dolphins as a Plan B free agent in 1991, but was waived during preseason.

Later life In 1994, Sievers partnered with host Charlie Jones on Chargers: Monday Night Live, a weekly Monday Night Football postgame show on KGTV channel 10 in San Diego.

After a six-year battle with bladder cancer, Sievers died on April 10, 2024, at the age of 66.