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Former Buccaneer McHale Dies At 45
Tribune file photo by FRED FOX
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Tom McHale is seen in an undated file photo.
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Published: May 26, 2008
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TAMPA - Tom McHale was smart, dependable - an overachiever, friends said.
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer was born to be an offensive lineman, and when his Sundays as a professional football player ended, he opened several restaurants in the area.
"Tom was very highly educated - a good businessman and a good guy," said former Bucs linebacker Scot Brantley, who played with McHale in 1987. "He's a guy who was going to live to be 100."
McHale, 45, was found dead Sunday morning at a friend's apartment at 2431 Mirador Lane in Wesley Chapel, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. Deputies said they had ruled out foul play.
The cause of McHale's death will be determined by the medical examiner, and toxicology results could take as long as six weeks, authorities said.
"We were saddened to hear the news of Tom McHale's passing," Bucs spokesman Jeff Kamis said Sunday, speaking on behalf of the organization.
Family members could not be reached for comment.
McHale played six years for the Bucs, from 1987 to 1992. Following stints with other teams, McHale retired after the 1995 season. McHale then opened and sold a couple of eateries in the Tampa Bay area before going into real estate. He opened McHale's Chop House on South Howard Avenue in 2000 and a second Chop House in Brandon in 2002. McHale also was the owner of Mac's Sports Pub in South Tampa.
He earned a degree in hotel administration at Cornell University, where he was a defensive lineman. McHale switched to the offensive line in 1988, a year after signing with the Bucs as a free agent.
He settled in at left guard and started for three seasons, beginning in 1989.
News of his death shocked former teammates.
"This one hits home," said former Bucs center Randy Grimes. "Tom was a great teammate, highly intelligent and great to have in the locker room. He wasn't blessed with all the tools, but he got the job done and he was dependable."
Also shocked to learn of McHale's death was Thomas McHale of Temple Terrace.
Because the men shared a name, several misdirected phone calls went to the retired New York City firefighter over the years. Sometimes after a game, the phone would ring at 3 a.m.: drunken fans upset about the lineman's play.
The retired firefighter said he first met McHale at McHale's Chop House, which the ex-Buc opened with his mom.
"He bought me dinner, as I remember," McHale said.
In recent years, tales of former football players dying young or under tragic circumstances have become increasingly common. But former teammates never expected that to be McHale's story.
"Even though I didn't stay in touch with Tom, today's news is a great shock," Grimes, the former center said. "He's one of those guys you didn't worry about in terms of his career after football because he was so smart."
Reporters Kevin Wiatrowski and Rich Shopes contributed to this report. Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or rreyes@tampatrib.com. Reporter Ira Kaufman can be reached at ikaufman@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7833.
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