Former Gophers, NFL player, pro wrestler Bob Bruggers dead at 80

Bob Bruggers, who played for the Gophers football team after a standout prep basketball and football career at Danube (Minn.) High School, died Friday. He was 80.

Bruggers helped Danube — located in Renville County about 100 miles west of the Twin Cities — reach the basketball high school state tournament in 1961 and '62. After the 1962 season, Bruggers was named to the Parade All-America team.

After playing both offense and defense for the Gophers football team from 1963 to '65, Bruggers was signed as an undrafted free agent by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins. A linebacker, he played 2½ seasons for Miami before getting traded to the San Diego Chargers, where he played 3½ more seasons, playing 57 AFL/NFL games in all.

After retiring from football, he wrestled professionally for Verne Gagne and the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association. Bruggers wrestled for other professional wrestling organizations until 1975. He retired after suffering injuries in an airplane crash.

Bruggers is a member of the University of Minnesota's "M" Club Hall of Fame, MSHSL Hall of Fame and Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame.