John Garlington

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John Garlington

Date of birth:	June 5, 1946
Place of birth:	Jonesboro, LA
Date of death:	February 10, 2000 (aged 53)
Career information
Position(s):	Linebacker
Jersey №:	50
College:	Louisiana State
NFL Draft:	1968 / Round: 2 / Pick: 47
Organizations
As player:
1968-1977	Cleveland Browns
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com

John Garlington
Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries - Enforcement Division

Born June 5, 1946
Nickname	Big John
Place of birth	Jonesboro, LA, United States
Years of service	1986 - February 10, 2000
Rank	1986 - commissioned as Wildlife Agent 1998 - promoted to Captain

John M. Garlington (born June 5, 1946, in Jonesboro, Louisiana, died February 10, 2000) is a former American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League (1968-1977) with the Cleveland Browns.

Garlington graduated in 1964 from Jonesboro-Hodge High School. He was a star college athlete at Louisiana State University. At LSU, he was a 1967 Kodak/American Football Coaches Association pick. He was also a First-Team All-SEC pick in 1966 by the Associated Press and in 1967 by both the AP and United Press International. He was described as an "Incredible athlete whose talents typified his play and teamwork. Had excellent speed and lateral pursuit. Opponents were timid when it came to attacking his side of the defensive line. Even with his size, he was a speed merchant. In the 1966 Rice encounter, John picked off an errant pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown."^[1]

[edit] Law Enforcement career

After leaving professional football, John Garlington became employed, in 1986, as a Wildlife Enforcement Agent (game warden) with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries - Enforcement Division. He was promoted to the rank of Captain, in 1998, and was the commander of the department's Region 1 office near Shreveport, Louisiana. Prior to assuming command of Region 1, Garlington held the rank of Sergeant, and was assigned to the department's Statewide Strike Force. Garlington died in the line of duty, from drowning, while investigating a poaching complaint near his home on the Mill Creek Reservoir near Saline, LA in Bienville Parish. He had been on the force for 14 years.^[2] Garlington was survived by his wife Karon Garlington. He is buried at the Ebeneezer Cemetery off Louisiana Highway 508 in Bienville Parish. His son, Jonesboro police officer John Moses Garlington, was previously buried at this same cemetery in the spring of 1994.