Dean Wells that played for nearly a decade in Nfl After a prominent career at the University of Kentucky died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 54.
Wells spent the first six years of his NFL career with Seattle Seahawks After he was elected in the fourth round of 1993 draft. He signed with Carolina Panthers in 1999, playing for another three seasons before officially retiring in 2001.
File – Dean Wells, #95 by Carolina Panthers, runs on the field during the game against Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin on December 12, 1999. (Jonathan Daniel /Allsport)
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Panthers Announced Wells’ passed on the team website on Friday.
Wells first opened about his cancer diagnosis in an interview with on3.com in April 2024. He said he had been diagnosed the year before with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (all).
“There is mental toughness that comes into it. You need to have a positive attitude that you can beat it. I’ve done everything I can with it. It’s like the chemo either working or it doesn’t. You just don’t have much control over it. You wish you had more control,” he said at the time.
File – Linebacker Dean Wells, #95 of Seattle Seahawks, looks at during the game against San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, October 25, 1998. (Todd Warshaw /Allsport)
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According to the Mayo Clinic, Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a blood and bone marrow cancer, where “the disease progresses quickly and creates immature blood cells, rather than mature.”
Wells completed his pro -career with 529 tackles, 2.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recovery and three interceptions. It followed a prominent career At Kentucky Where Wells still has the records for most sacks in a game (5) and the bag record for a season (10).
“Compassion to family and friends of Dean Wells who have died,” the university said in a statement on social media.
File – New England Patriots WR Terry Glenn is brought down by Carolina Linebacker Dean Wells during the first quarter of Thursday’s match in Foxborough. (John Bohn/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
“A 3-year-old starter, he set a British single-game record with 5 sacks against Indiana and went on to a 9-year-old NFL career. After NFL retirement, he returned to hometown of Louisville and was a stubborn supporter of wildcats.”
Wells is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their two sons.
