Sad News: ‘A real loss for the Auburn people’

On Thursday, Terry Beasley was commemorated for his dedication, resilience, and remarkable speed and athletic prowess, which continue to be celebrated in the Auburn record books over 50 years after his last game for the Tigers.

Beasley passed away at the age of 73 on Thursday, after enduring years of health issues stemming from the numerous concussions and head injuries sustained during his football career. Authorities in Moody, where Beasley lived during his final years, are probing his death as a potential suicide.

However, those acquainted with Beasley opted to recall him not as the individual who battled illness for four decades — as former teammate Terry Henley described it — but as one half of the renowned “Sullivan to Beasley” connection that defined Auburn football from 1969 to 1971.

Sullivan clinched the Heisman Trophy as the Tigers’ quarterback in their senior year, largely thanks to Beasley’s contributions as a wide receiver.

“The only individual I can compare even remotely to Terry Beasley is (NFL star) Tyreek Hill down there at Miami,” remarked Henley, an All-SEC running back at Auburn who trailed Sullivan and Beasley by a year. “He stood at about 5-foot-10, 5-11 and was just solid muscle from head to toe.

If you caught sight of him in the locker room wearing just shorts, you wouldn’t believe it. He resembled a bodybuilder — and he didn’t even lift weights.

“It was simply God-given. He possessed explosive speed off the line. He didn’t need two steps to outpace you. It only took one step, and he was off, my friend. He was an exceptional talent.”

Beasley and Sullivan, the latter of whom passed away in 2019, left an indelible mark on Auburn’s football history throughout their three years of varsity play with the Tigers. While many of Sullivan’s passing records have been surpassed in the high-offense era of recent times, Beasley — a native of Montgomery who excelled at what was then Robert E. Lee High School before joining Ralph “Shug” Jordan’s Tigers — continues to hold the top spot in numerous receiving categories.

Beasley remains Auburn’s all-time leader in receiving yards (2,507) and touchdown catches (29), with an 11-touchdown lead over second-place Ben Obomanu in the latter category.

Additionally, he ranks fourth in receptions (141). His 12 touchdown receptions in 1971 still stand as the Tigers’ single-season record, while his 11 in 1970 represent the second-highest total in program history.

“We didn’t throw the ball but about probably 20 times a game back then,” Henley recalled, “and he probably caught 19 of them.” It’s worth noting, as former Auburn sports information director and athletics director David Housel points out, that Beasley set many of his records during a time when the Tigers played only 10 regular-season games per year (compared to 12 for most teams nowadays), and bowl games were not included in official statistics at the time.

However, Beasley’s impact transcended mere statistics, according to Housel. He was renowned for his ability to make “over the head” catches, stretching back in full stride to snag a long pass from Sullivan, whom he trusted to deliver the ball in a catchable position.

“He used to tell Pat, ‘you throw it, I’ll catch it,’ and that was pretty much true,” Housel recounted. “He just went to the spot, never looked, threw his hands up, and caught the ball. Of course, Pat threw it to the right place, and he was at the right place, but to catch that ball without ever looking at it, that’s not normal. And he didn’t do it once or twice, he did it quite often.”

During their tenure together, Beasley and Sullivan contributed significantly to the Tigers’ success, boasting a 26-7 record and securing three consecutive bowl game appearances.

They also boasted a 2-1 record against Alabama (3-1 when including a freshman team victory in 1968). Notable performances included Beasley’s nine receptions for 121 yards in Auburn’s 33-28 victory over Alabama in 1970, during which he also set up a touchdown with a 42-yard run that saw him “worm and squirm” through the Crimson Tide defense.

One of Beasley and Sullivan’s standout moments occurred during the 1971 Georgia game, where Sullivan threw four touchdown passes, two of them long bombs of 70 and 33 yards to Beasley in a 35-20 Auburn triumph.

This performance likely solidified Sullivan’s Heisman Trophy win, with considerable assistance from Beasley, whom Auburn radio announcer Gary Sanders dubbed “the Mechanical Man.”

While Beasley received due recognition, being a unanimous All-American in 1971 and later being elected to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002, his impact extended beyond accolades. Auburn retired Beasley’s No. 88 jersey, alongside Sullivan’s No. 7 and Bo Jackson’s No. 34, ensuring his legacy remained honored within the football program.

Beasley played during an era when receivers operated in the middle of the field and lacked the protective rules against “headhunting” from opponents. He endured numerous injuries, including concussions, during his football career. Despite being a first-round pick for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers in 1972, Beasley’s professional career was cut short due to injury, playing in only 29 games across four seasons before retiring.

In later years, Beasley’s health declined, with hospitalization in 2013 for health issues believed to be linked to football-related concussions. He was among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the NFL for its handling of brain injuries, settled in 2016.

Ralph Jordan Jr., son of legendary Auburn coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan, recalled Beasley as a family-oriented individual who, along with Sullivan, embodied the Auburn spirit. Their era left an indelible mark on Auburn football history, and while their passing is mourned, their legacy lives on in the hearts of Auburn fans.