Gay Culverhouse, Ex-Bucs President and Player Safety Advocate, Dies at Age 73

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers team president Gay Culverhouse died Wednesday at the age of 73 due to complications from myelofibrosis, according to Richard Goldstein of the New York Times. 

She was diagnosed with the condition, which is a form of chronic leukemia, in 2003.

Buccaneers owner and co-chairman Bryan Glazer honored Culverhouse in a statement, via Jenna Laine of ESPN:

"We are saddened to hear of the passing of Gay Culverhouse earlier this week. During her family's ownership of the Buccaneers, Gay was a leading figure in and around the Tampa Bay community who was defined by her compassion for helping others. Her tireless work as an advocate for retired NFL players is also an important part of her personal legacy. We send our heartfelt condolences to her children, Leigh and Chris, and the entire Culverhouse family."

The daughter of original Buccaneers owner Hugh Culverhouse, Gay was with the organization from 1986-94, serving as team president from 1991-94.

After stepping away from football to earn her doctorate, she returned to prominence as an advocate for former players dealing with health issues, especially chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Culverhouse spoke at a House Judiciary hearing in 2009 after the 2008 death of former Buccaneers lineman Tom McHale.

"This team doctor is not a medical advocate for the players," she said at the time. "This team doctor's role is to get that player back on the field, even if that means injecting the player on the field."

"My men have headaches that never stop. They cannot remember where they are going or what they want to say without writing it down. Some are on government welfare. Some are addicted to pain medication. Some are dead."

Doctors initially predicted Culverhouse had five years to live with her illness, which caused her to be severely anemic, but she lived 17 years with her condition.