Jeff Modesitt
{{Short description|American football player (1964–1990)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Jeff Modesitt
| number = 82
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date|1964|1|1}}
| birth_place = Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1990|8|3|1964|1|1}}
| death_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 245
| high_school = Yorktown
(Yorktown Heights, New York)
| college = Delaware
| undraftedyear = 1987
| pastteams =
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|1987}})
- Indianapolis Colts (1988)*
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|1988}})
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|1989}})*
| highlights =
- Second-team All-Eastern College Athletic Conference honors (1986)
- Second-team All-Yankee Conference honors (1986)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 1
| pfr = ModeJe20
}}
Jeffrey A. Modesitt (January 1, 1964 – August 3, 1990) was an American professional football tight end who played for one season in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens, he was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 1987. He played in one game for the Buccaneers in 1987.
College career
Modesitt played college football for the University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens from 1984 to 1986. In 1985, he started six games and recorded 11 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown. He started 12 games in 1986 and had 28 receptions for 456 yards and three touchdowns.{{cite news |title=Ex-Blue Hen Is Killed In Shooting |url=http://articles.philly.com/1990-08-04/sports/25933657_1_atlanta-police-argument-brad-beckman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926101101/http://articles.philly.com/1990-08-04/sports/25933657_1_atlanta-police-argument-brad-beckman |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 26, 2015 |work=The Philadelphia Daily News |date=August 4, 1990 |accessdate=June 17, 2012}} In his senior year, he was named an Associated Press honorable mention All-America, second-team All-Eastern College Athletic Conference, and second-team All-Yankee Conference player. He also earned the Vincent "Winnie" Mayer Outstanding Senior End Award in 1986.{{cite web|title=All-Time Honors |url=http://www.bluehens.com/teams/football/info/honors.html |publisher=University of Delaware Athletics |accessdate=June 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013122900/http://www.bluehens.com/teams/football/info/honors.html |archivedate=October 13, 2012 }}
Professional career
Modesitt was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent on May 15, 1987.{{cite news |date=May 15, 1987 |title=Bucs' roster hits all-time high of 120 with four more signings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-bucs-roster-hits-all-ti/169516341/ |accessdate=2025-04-03 |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |page=3C |via=Newspapers.com}} He was released before the start of the season on August 5, 1987,{{cite news |date=August 6, 1987 |title=Nelson's Nose to Grindstone |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VKQcAAAAIBAJ&pg=6564,645175 |accessdate=June 17, 2012 |newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |page=5C |via=Google News Archive}} but was re-signed and played in one game for the team in 1987.
He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts after the 1987 season, but was waived on July 27, 1988.{{cite news |title=Transactions |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=psFQAAAAIBAJ&pg=1129,3247268 |newspaper=The Southeast Missourian |date=July 27, 1988 |accessdate=June 17, 2012}} Modesitt was signed by the Cleveland Browns on August 1, 1988.{{cite news |title=Deals |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/55854175.html?dids=55854175:55854175&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+01%2C+1988&author=&pub=USA+TODAY+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=DEALS&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131141504/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/55854175.html?dids=55854175:55854175&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+01,+1988&author=&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=DEALS&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |work=USA Today |date=August 1, 1988 |accessdate=June 17, 2012}} {{subscription required}} He spent the season on the team's injured reserve list due to a shoulder injury.{{Cite news |last=Rosenberg |first=I. J. |date=1989-04-09 |title=Free Agent Swaps Mixed for Falcons |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-journal-free-agent-swaps-mix/169516487/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |page=2D |via=Newspapers.com}}
Modesitt was signed by the Atlanta Falcons on March 23, 1989,{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Joe |date=1989-03-23 |title=Cox Meets With Thrift, Keeps Trade Talk Alive |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-journal-cox-meets-with-thrif/169516569/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |page=2D |via=Newspapers.com}} but was waived on May 26, 1989.{{cite news |date=December 19, 1989 |title=Sports News Briefs; Car Crash Kills Falcon Tight End |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/19/sports/sports-news-briefs-car-crash-kills-falcon-tight-end.html |accessdate=June 17, 2012 |work=New York Times |page=B14 |agency=Associated Press}}
Car accident
On December 19, 1989, Modesitt got into a car accident in Lawrenceville, Georgia, which killed Atlanta Falcons player Brad Beckman, who was the passenger in the car. Modesitt was the driver, and his car bumped into another car. Modesitt got out of the vehicle to survey the damage, and a tractor trailer rig hit his car, with Beckman still inside, and him.{{Cite news |date=1989-12-19 |title=2nd Falcon in 4 weeks is killed in car accident |url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/title/bazopmvdlekvqfncumxpqjwzmlosrtch_ip-10-166-46-166_1743719137101 |access-date=2025-04-03 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |at=part 2, p. 3 |via=GenealogyBank.com |agency=Associated Press}} Beckman was killed instantly, while Modesitt suffered a fractured pelvis, fractured elbow, fractured leg, concussion, and had to have a toe amputated.
Death
Modesitt was shot and killed on August 3, 1990, in Atlanta, Georgia, outside a Waffle House restaurant. He was 26 years old.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Modesitt, Jeff}}
Category:People from Yorktown, New York
Category:Players of American football from Westchester County, New York
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football players
Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players
Category:Deaths by firearm in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:American murder victims
Category:People murdered in Georgia (U.S. state)