Former Oklahoma star, Cincinnati Bengals first-rounder Rickey Dixon succumbs to ALS at 53

Former Oklahoma great and College Football Hall of Famer Rickey Dixon succumbed to ALS at age 53

Rickey Dixon, an All-American at Oklahoma, and a first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, has died at 53 after battling the dreaded disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Dixon was diagnosed with ALS in 2013.

Dixon joined OU in 1984 and was a mainstay in the secondary. Known as a ferocious hitter, Dixon notched 170 tackles, 23 pass break-ups and 17 interceptions as a Sooner. At the time, his 17 picks were second in school history.

The Sooners went 42-5-1 during Dixon’s four years and played in the Orange Bowl each season. The 1985 team beat Penn State in the Orange Bowl to capture the Sooners’ sixth national championship.

Dixon was drafted fifth overall in the 1988 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He played in Super Bowl XXIII for Cincinnati against San Francisco. He played there for five seasons before joining the Los Angeles Raiders in 1993 in his final professional season.

In all, Dixon played in 82 games, with six interceptions and a fumble recovery in the NFL.

He is survived by his wife, Lorraine, and four children.

Tony Casillas used some NSFW language in his tweet, which accurately sums up how everyone feels about ALS.