Dick Woodard, an offensive lineman and linebacker who played five seasons of pro football, has died at the age of 93.
Woodard was the great uncle of Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who confirmed the death on Twitter.
“This morning my Uncle Dick Woodard went to be with the Lord at 93 years old,” Cousins wrote. “He played for the Redskins & Giants and was one of the oldest living NFL players. Played a big role in my love for the game from a very young age. We will miss you Uncle Dick!”
Born in Britt, Iowa, in 1926, Woodard was an All-Big Nine player for the Iowa Hawkeyes, playing alongside his brother Ralph Woodard, who is Cousins’ grandfather. Dick Woodard was selected by the Giants in the 21st round of the 1948 NFL draft.
Woodard spent his first year in pro football playing for the Los Angeles Dons of the All-America Football Conference in 1949. That league folded after that season, and Woodard would then play four more seasons in the NFL.