The extended Pitt football family is mourning the loss of one of the greatest Panthers ever.
Following a battle with cancer, Bill Fralic passed away Thursday, the football program announced in a press release Friday. The former Pitt All-American was 56 years old.
“Bill is truly one of the iconic figures in the history of Pitt Athletics,” athletic director Heather Lyke said in a statement. “He set a tremendous standard for our current generation of student-athletes, not only as an athlete but also for what he went on to accomplish once his playing days concluded. Bill’s reputation for giving back might even transcend his Hall of Fame football career. He was a passionate supporter of Pitt and Penn Hills. Our deepest sympathies to his wife, Susan, and his many loved ones and friends.
— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) December 14, 2018
Fralic, whose No. 79 jersey was retired more than three decades ago, was a three-time first-team All-American at Pitt, earning unanimous honors his last two seasons with the Panthers. Twice Fralic finished in the Top 10 of the Heisman Trophy voting, the first-ever offensive lineman to do so.
Fralic’s prowess on the gridiron also led to a word that’s still a part of the football lexicon.
The passing of Fralic comes less than a week after he paid for the hotel rooms for all of the players and coaches at Penn Hills High School, his alma mater which played for the PIAA Class 5A championship last Friday night.