According to his family, Mike Fanning, who was selected ninth overall in the 1975 NFL Draft, passed away on Sunday at the age of 69. Fanning, a defensive tackle from Notre Dame who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams with the ninth overall pick in 1975, is credited with 35.5 sacks throughout his eight seasons with the team, per Pro-Football-Reference.
The Rams reached four NFC Championship games during Fanning’s eight years with the team and played in one Super Bowl while consistently finishing in the top five in defence from 1975 through 1978.
The 1979 #Rams DL@theblood85 @Fred_Dryer
Larry Brooks
Mike Fanning pic.twitter.com/5AicsnHV3W— Old Time Football ???? (@Ol_TimeFootball) July 6, 2022
In 1983, Fanning was moved to the Lions.
Fanning wasn’t a bust despite being selected in the same draught class as Hall of Famers Randy White, Walter Payton, and Robert Brazile, even if he didn’t achieve their level of success. He played on the same team at Notre Dame as Rudy, also known as the legendary Daniel Ruettiger.
Most recently, Fanning was employed by the University of Tulsa’s athletic division. Fanning reflected on his tenure with the Rams, his bond with colleague Fred Dryer, and the shifting dynamics of the squad in 2018.
“He was such a great character,” Fanning says of Dryer. “We had a lot of characters on the team. Back then, you had guys stay together on the same team for eight or nine years. Now, everybody is leaving all the time through free agency.”
A 1973 national championship defence team captain and first team All-American, Fanning is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
