Kenneth Sims, a two-time All-American defensive tackle at Texas and eight-year NFL veteran, died Friday, the Longhorns announced. He was 65 years old.
No cause of death was provided, but Texas said Sims died peacefully in his home.
Sims is best remembered for a decorated college career that saw him enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021. He remains Texas’ all-time leader in forced fumbles with 15, while also contributing 322 tackles, 29 sacks, 50 tackles for loss, seven fumble recoveries and three blocked kicks in his four seasons.
In his senior season in 1981, Sims earned unanimous All-American honors, the Lombardi Award for the nation’s top lineman and an eighth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting, with three first-place votes. The Houston Chronicle’s Kirk Bohls remembered him as one of the three best defensive linemen he covered in 50 years in Austin, alongside his former teammate Steve McMichael and Casey Hampton.
That dominance made Sims the first overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft, which landed him with the New England Patriots. His professional career wasn’t nearly as successful, as he played only 74 games across eight seasons in New England.
Sims struggled with both injuries and addiction, as an arrest for possession of cocaine in 1990 led to his release by the Patriots. He attempted a return in 1992 with the Buffalo Bills, but was released before the season.
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