Paul Costa obit

Sebastian Paul Costa, former Buffalo Bills player, dies in Texas

 

He was not on the list.

Sebastian Paul Costa, an all-star tight end and offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills, died Monday in Baylor Hospital, Grapevine, Texas, due to complications from prostate cancer. He was 73.

A native of Port Chester, Mr. Costa played football for the Buffalo Bills from 1965 to 1972.

Known as “Paul” for much of his later life, Mr. Costa graduated from Port Chester High School, where he was an All-American, and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1965 from the University of Notre Dame, which he attended on an athletic scholarship. At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, he played halfback and defensive end for the Fighting Irish. In his senior year, he was an All-American.

Mr. Costa earned a master’s degree and a doctorate from the California Graduate School of Theology.

In 1963, he was drafted by the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, according to his family, and ended up with the AFL Buffalo Bills, where he was an offensive tackle and tight end. In 1967, he set a Bills record for the most receiving yards in a season for a tight end, his son said.

He participated in the American Football League All-Star games from 1965 through 1969.

After Buffalo, Mr. Costa played football for the Birmingham Americans of the old World Football League.

From 1980 to 1997, Mr. Costa also served as pastor of two non-denominational churches, including one in Port Chester, and also wrote on religious and spiritual subjects, publishing a book earlier this year.

He also was an offensive line coach at Evangel College in Springfield, Mo.

Mr. Costa had been living in North Richland Hills, Texas.

Survivors include his wife of 38 years, the former Jan Medders; a son, Clark; two stepsons, Greg and Steve Allen; two sisters, Anita Mukamal and Catherine Brown; a brother, Frank; and six grandchildren.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. Nov. 7 in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Port Chester.