Barry Wilburn obit

Family confirms former NFL player and Super Bowl champion died in Orange Mound house fire

 He was not on the list.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (WMC) - Family and friends are mourning the loss of former NFL player and Super Bowl champion Barry Wilburn. Family confirms he was the victim of a house fire in Orange Mound early Friday morning.

Wilburn graduated from Melrose High School before playing football for the Ole Miss Rebels. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1985, where he played defensive back for 5 seasons. Wilburn led the league in interceptions in the 1987 season, where he and the team would go on to win Super Bowl XXII against the Denver Broncos.

The Memphis Fire Department responded to a reported residential structure fire on Douglass Avenue in Orange Mound at around 2am Friday morning. They found an unresponsive victim in the rear hallway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A representative for the family has confirmed that Wilburn is the victim of the fire. MFD have yet to confirm the victim’s identity.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

He was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the eighth round of the 1985 NFL draft. Wilburn played in eight NFL seasons from 1985 to 1996 (he missed two seasons due to injury) and in two CFL seasons for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the British Columbia Lions. He played in one final season in 1999 for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before retiring.

Wilburn was drafted in the 8th round of the 1985 draft by the Washington Redskins. Wilburn had a breakout year in the strike-shortened 1987 NFL season after leading the league in interceptions recording 9 and was named to the first-team All-Pro. Wilburn started in Super Bowl XXII that year and recorded two interceptions in their 42–10 victory against the Denver Broncos. In 1992, Wilburn signed with the Cleveland Browns but only played in 6 games. After his stint with the Browns, he then spent a few years in the Canadian Football League playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the BC Lions where he also won a Grey Cup title as a member of the 1994 BC Lions, making him one of only ten players to have won football championships on both sides of the border (Super Bowl and Grey Cup). After his CFL stint, Wilburn returned to the NFL signing with the Philadelphia Eagles but saw limited playing time. In 1999 Wilburn returned to the CFL and signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Wilburn then retired after the 1999 season and he retired with 246 career tackles, 20 career interceptions, and five fumble recoveries in the NFL.

Wilburn held the Washington record for the longest interception return after scoring on a 100-yard return against the Minnesota Vikings in 1987.

Wilburn was the son of Olympic great, Margaret Matthews Wilburn and the father of Jordan and Dominique Wilburn, named for his two favorite NBA basketball players.

Career information

High school     Melrose

College            Ole Miss

NFL draft        1985: 8th round, 219th overall pick

Career history

Washington Redskins (1985–1989)

Cleveland Browns (1992)

Saskatchewan Roughriders (1993)

BC Lions (1994)

Kansas City Chiefs (1994)*

Philadelphia Eagles (1995–1996)

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1999)

* Offseason and/or practice squad member only

Awards and highlights

Super Bowl champion (XXII)

Grey Cup champion (1994)

First-team All-Pro (1987)

NFL interceptions leader (1987)

Career NFL statistics

Tackles            246

Interceptions    20

Touchdowns    1