Super Bowl Champion Tragically Dies In House Fire

Barry Wilburn, a Super Bowl-winning defensive standout who helped lead Washington to glory in the late 1980s, died in a Tennessee house fire this week. He was 62.

Memphis Fire Department crews responded to reports of an active house fire early Feb. 6 and discovered Wilburn after the blaze was extinguished, according to WREG, a local CBS affiliate. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Washington Commanders, known as the Redskins during Wilburn’s playing days, announced his death Sunday on X. His family later confirmed the news to Action News 5.

Wilburn carved out his place in NFL history during Washington’s 1987 Super Bowl run, leading the league in interceptions that season. He sealed his legacy on the sport’s biggest stage, intercepting two passes in Washington’s dominant 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos.

After his championship season, Wilburn continued his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns in 1992 before spending two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he remained a respected presence in the secondary.

Beyond the stat sheet, Wilburn’s impact ran deep in his hometown of Memphis.

Tim Thompson, a former teammate of Wilburn’s at Melrose High School, was near the scene when the fatal fire broke out and said the loss hit the community hard.

“We were all sitting here eating, and we heard the fire trucks coming by, and we didn’t pay it any attention,” Thompson told WREG.

“We didn’t know it was going to be Barry Wilburn, though. It crushed me. It crushed the Orange Mound Community.”

We’re saddened to learn of the passing of former Washington All-Pro and Super Bowl XXII champion Barry Wilburn

Sending our deepest condolences to his family and friends pic.twitter.com/36GkXTUY7R

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) February 8, 2026

Thompson described Wilburn as more than just a great athlete.

“He was exceptional in what he did. He broke all the barriers down in our community,” he said.

“He’s a legend. Truly a legend.”

Thompson said Wilburn was someone younger players naturally looked up to, including himself.

“I always looked up to him,” Thompson told WREG. “He was like a role model.”

That admiration carried into Thompson’s own playing days.

“Barry ended up going to Ole Miss. He wore the number 11,” Thompson said.

“I asked him when he left Melrose, ‘it would be a privilege for me to wear your number 11’ and he said ‘it was an honor.’”

Wilburn’s death marks a tragic end to the life of a Super Bowl champion whose legacy stretched far beyond the field, leaving an indelible mark on Washington football and the Memphis community that raised him.

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