Kenneth Sims, whom the New England Patriots selected with the first overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft, passed away on Friday, March 21. He was 65 years old. Per reports, he passed away peacefully in his sleep.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of our 1982 first overall draft pick, Kenneth Sims: https://t.co/n7C4UGg5Ac pic.twitter.com/qLJsnfJ1Q9
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) March 21, 2025
When the Patriots took him with the first overall pick, he became just the third Texas Longhorn in history to be the number one selection in any NFL Draft. While his career was mired by multiple injuries, he was a contributing member of the first New England team to reach the AFC Championship.
Former New England Patriots Defensive Lineman Kenneth Sims Had an Injury-Plagued Career
After being taken with the first overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft, Sims finished fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after posting 3.0 sacks in nine games.
Unfortunately, injuries took their toll on the dominating defensive lineman, and he was only able to play one complete season out of the eight he spent in the league.
In 1985, Sims had the best year of his career, posting 5.5 sacks in only 13 games. Unfortunately, he broke his leg late in the season, and was not able to play in Super Bowl XX, the first NFL title game the franchise ever reached.
After that year, Sims, with the support of the franchise’s new drug program, admitted that he struggled with substance abuse for years.
Following a 1986 season that saw him play just three games, Sims appeared in 12 contests in 1987. After that year, he signed a one-year contract with the Patriots that was full of playing time incentives. Unfortunately, he ruptured his Achilles in the first game of the 1988 season and missed the rest of the year.
In 1989, he returned to New England on another one-year contract and played in 15 games, posting 3.0 sacks. He missed the final game of the season with a knee injury.
The following year, 1990, Sims was arrested in Texas for possession of cocaine, even though he told the Patriots he had gotten himself clean. New England released him 16 days later.
Sims attempted an NFL comeback with the Buffalo Bills in 1992, but was waived before the start of the season.
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