Former 49ers and Patriots tight end and Super Bowl champion Russ Francis has died at the age of 70, the San Francisco 49ers confirmed Monday.
According to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Francis died in a plane crash at the Lake Placid Airport in New York, along with Richard McSpadden, the senior vice president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
Per the AOPA, the plane, a Cessna 177 Cardinal, experienced an emergency shortly after takeoff and was directed to return to the airport, but “failed to make the runway.”
McSpadden was an experienced pilot, and former commander of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
The report paid homage to Francis’ lifelong love of flying. Per the Enterprise, he had recently become the co-owner of Lake Placid Airways with Rives Potts.
Francis was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1975 with the 16th overall pick and had a stellar, three Pro Bowl career with the Patriots and 49ers.
After six years in the league, he retired in 1981. The following year, he came out of retirement and signed with San Francisco, where he played for most of the next six years. He was traded back to New England in 1987 and finished his career there in 1988.
Francis finished his career with 5,262 career receiving yards (34th all time) and 40 receiving touchdowns (t-34th all time) and was a staple of the 1984 Super Bowl team. In addition to making three Pro Bowls from 1977-79 with the Patriots, he was a two-time All-Pro in 1976 and 1978.