Donnell Thompson obit

Lumberton football legend Donnell Thompson dies at 65

 

He was not on the list.

LUMBERTON — Donnell Thompson, the Lumberton High School football star in the 1970s who went on to the University of North Carolina and an 11-year career in the NFL, died Tuesday at age 65.

Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts team for which Thompson played in the NFL, announced his death in a social media post.

“This man was successful in football, but even more so in the business world following his retirement,” Irsay said. “Smart, wise — a great mentor for young players.”

Thompson’s cause of death was not immediately available.

A defensive end and fullback at Lumberton High School, Thompson was part of the class of 1977 and earned a Shrine Bowl selection following his senior season in the fall of 1976.

The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Thompson played on the same UNC defensive line as Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, but earned his own accolades including third-team All-American honors in 1980 as part an ACC championship team for the Tar Heels.

Thompson was selected in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft with the 18th overall pick by the Baltimore Colts, and stayed with the franchise his entire pro career, even as the team moved to Indianapolis in 1984. Thompson recorded 41 sacks with eight fumble recoveries and one touchdown in his Colts career.

Thompson was Robeson County’s selection for the North State Journal’s “100 in 100” profiling each North Carolina county’s best athlete in 2020.

Following his football career, Thompson had a successful career as a hotel and restaurant franchisee. His restaurant locations include the Checkers location on Fayetteville Road in Lumberton.

Thompson became a franchisee for McDonald's in Atlanta, Georgia. He purchased his own franchise in 1998 and has since opened franchises for Choice Hotels International, Zaxby's, Denny's and Checkers Drive-In, sometimes in partnership with his former roommate Ron Wooten.

Career highlights and awards

PFWA All-Rookie Team (1981)

First-team All-ACC (1980)

Career NFL statistics

Sacks:  41.0

Fumble recoveries:            8

Touchdowns:            1