Ed White was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time, second-team All-Pro in 17 seasons as a guard with the Minnesota Vikings and San Diego Chargers. He was a member of the 40th Anniversary teams for both franchises as well as being named one of the 50 Greatest Minnesota Vikings in 2010.
Now he’s dealing with Alzheimer’s disease.
According to Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune, White found out about his condition just two months ago.
“After all the head-knocking, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” White said. "... “I was driving home after (the MRI) and the doctor called. He already knew what I had.”
Officially, White was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s-related dimensia.
“My hippocampus memory center is about half of what it should be,” he said.
White was a second-round pick of the Vikings in 1969 out of University of California. The Vikings won the NFL Championship game in his rookie season to advance to Super Bowl IV against the Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the Vikings 23-7. He played a total of nine seasons for Minnesota and was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his final three seasons with the team.
He was traded to the Chargers 1978 and played the final eight years of his career in San Diego. He made another Pro Bowl in 1979 and retired after the 1985 season with 241 career games under his belt.