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Who Is Ironhead?

In today's fast-paced world, the name "Ironhead" has several connotations that include a Canadian sportswear company, a Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycle and a song written and performed by Rob Zombie with accompanying vocals supplied by Ozzie Osbourne. However, the one person best known as "Ironhead" was a professional football player with the real-life title of Craig Heyward.
  1. Heyward's Football Career

    • Craig Heyward was a fullback; he had a pro football career that included stints with the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams and Indianapolis Colts. Weighing close to 300 pounds, Heyward was a punishing runner, who could also catch and block; he earned his nickname by possession of what seemed to be an over-sized cranium, as well as through a very physical style of play.

    TV Appearances

    • Towards the end of his pro career, Craig did a series of adds for the Zest body wash company, where he championed a shower product called Luffa. This humorous spotlight clashed dramatically with his roughness on the playing field, which was well-known throughout the NFL.

    Untimely Demise

    • In 1998 Heyward was diagnosed with brain cancer. In his specific case, the culprit was a malignant cancer at the back of the neck that was pressing on the optic nerve. According to "The New York Times," surgeons could not remove all of the tumor; as a result, the former athlete gradually lost his hearing and sight. He died in May 2006 at age 39 after a 7.5-year battle with cancer.

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