Former NFL standout Golden Richards dies at age 73

In sad news from the world of sports, it was revealed on Friday that former NFL standout wide receiver Golden Richards died at his home in Utah at the age of 73 after a battle with congestive heart failure, as ESPN.com reports.

The passing of the former Dallas Cowboy player was confirmed by a nephew, Lance Richards, in a post on Facebook in which he declared his uncle “a kind and sweet soul.”

Notable football career remembered

As Fox News notes, Richards was selected by the Cowboys as a second-round pick in the 1973 draft.

The former Brigham Young and University of Hawaii star went on to play in 12 games his first season in the league and was bumped up to a spot in the startling line up the very next year.

After five years in that role, Richards dropped down to backup status amid the 1978 campaign, and he was then traded to the Chicago Bears.

During his tenure in the Windy City, Richards appeared in 20 games spread across the 1978 and 1979 seasons.

Super Bowl star turn

Despite amassing a number of impressive career statistics, Richards' best-known accomplishment in the NFL came during the 1978 Super Bowl contest against the Denver Broncos.

During the fourth quarter of the game, the Cowboys had built a 20-10 lead when teammate Robert Newhouse threw a touchdown pass to Richards, who was credited with solidifying the advantage that ultimately gave Dallas the championship.

In the end, Richards departed the league in 1980 due to injuries, but not before tallying 122 receptions and 17 touchdowns during his time in the professional ranks.

Post-career challenges

Though Richards was said to have battle health concerns and addiction problems after leaving the league, he maintained sobriety over the course of the last decade.

His brother Doug Richards once noted, “Seven or eight years of wear and tear on the football field for a 175-pound wide receiver who was concussed several times too. That obviously took its toll,” with the former footballer also receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease back in 2011.

Adopting a philosophical approach to the sad news, Doug Richards said, as ESPN.com noted, “He has left us and gone to a better place. He fought pretty good there to the end, until it was his time.”