Super Bowl champion Barry Wilburn dies in house fire

The Super Bowl weekend was meant to be a celebration for NFL fans, but tragedy struck off the field.

Just days before the big game, former Super Bowl champion Barry Wilburn tragically died in a devastating house fire in Tennessee, his family confirmed.

How they found him

The football world is mourning the loss of Barry Wilburn, the former NFL All-Pro cornerback and Super Bowl champion, who died Friday morning in a devastating house fire in Orange Mound, Tennessee. He was 62.

The Memphis Fire Department responded to the blaze around 2 a.m., discovering Wilburn unresponsive in a rear hallway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

“He brought so much joy to Memphis, little ole Barry Wilburn,” his mother, Margaret Matthews Wilburn, told Action News 5.

“Everyone loved Barry. He was the life of the party. Always had a beautiful smile, great personality,” added his god sister, Rochelle Stevens.

Drafted by the Washington Redskins

A Memphis native, Wilburn graduated from Melrose High School with honors before starring at Ole Miss. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1985, where he played the first five seasons of his NFL career.

Wilburn became a defensive powerhouse, leading the league in interceptions in 1987 with nine picks—including a legendary 100-yard return against the Minnesota Vikings, the longest interception in Washington football history.

Barry Wilburn #45 of the Washington Redskins in position during a NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 18, 1988 at RFK Stadium in Washington DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

That same year, he helped lead the Redskins to a dominant 42-10 Super Bowl XXII victory over John Elway’s Denver Broncos, recording two interceptions in the game. “Almost got three,” his mother recalled. “But the player hit him and the official didn’t call it. But we knew it should’ve been three interceptions.”

Championship rings in both NFL and CFL

Wilburn also played for the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, and Philadelphia Eagles, and spent three seasons in the Canadian Football League, winning a Grey Cup. He is one of only 13 players worldwide to earn championship rings in both the NFL and CFL.

Wilburn came from a family of champions. His mother, Margaret, won a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter relay at the 1956 Olympics, and his god sister, Rochelle Stevens, earned silver and gold medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

Despite his athletic accolades, those closest to him say Wilburn will be remembered for his heart. “Barry didn’t have much but he gave more than he had,” his mother said.