Samuel Lewis Cunningham Jr, nicknamed Sam “Bam” Cunningham, was an American football fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football at USC, where he was named an All-American and received MVP honors in the 1973 Rose Bowl.
Selected in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Patriots, Cunningham became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010. The same year, he was also inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
“Sam Cunningham, a former USC and NFL star, died at the age of 71.”
Sam “Bam” Cunningham, an All-American fullback at Southern California whose performance against Alabama was credited with assisting in the integration of football in the South and who went on to have a record-setting career with the New England Patriots, died on Tuesday. He was 71 years old at the time.
According to USC, he died at his home in Inglewood after speaking with his wife, Cine. She stated that the cause was yet unknown.
Randall Cunningham, Cunningham’s younger brother, was a 16-year NFL quarterback.
As a sophomore in 1970 under coach John McKay, Cunningham was part of USC’s all-Black backfield, along with quarterback Jimmy Jones and running back Clarence Davis, which was the first of its kind in Division I.
Cunningham ran for 135 yards on 12 carries and scored two touchdowns in his collegiate debut as the Trojans routed predominantly white Alabama 42-21 at Legion Field in Birmingham to open that season. His performance was credited with having influenced the university and coach Bear Bryant to widely recruit more Black players and accelerate the integration of the sport in the South.
“What they saw was the future,” Cunningham told ESPN in 2016. “Their team was eventually going to be integrated.”
In 1971, Alabama had Black players on scholarship for the first time and played for the national title. The decade became a standout era for Bryant and the Crimson Tide as they went on to win more national championships.
Jerry Claiborne, a former Bryant assistant, famously said, “Sam Cunningham did more to integrate Alabama in 60 minutes than Martin Luther King did in 20 years.”
Lynn Swann, a teammate of Cunningham’s at USC, said, “The entire SEC, especially Alabama, owes Sam Cunningham a tremendous debt of thanks and appreciation for his play that opened the door to Black athletes in 1970.
“There are numerous athletes who have contributed significantly to the fight against prejudice in a variety of ways. Sam, on the other hand, opened a large door in the South and in that conference, which did more to allow minorities and young Black men to play in the SEC and acquire an education.”
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“Sam ‘Bam’ Cunningham was one of my favorite players throughout the ’70s and my sons all loved him,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, who bought the team in 1994. “As much as I admired him as a player, my affection for him only grew after spending time with him and learning more about him as a person. He made a tremendous impact, both on and off the field, and was beloved by his teammates.”
Cunningham was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010, the same year he went into the Patriots Hall of Fame. He also was a member of the USC Athletic Hall of Fame.
After his playing career, Cunningham worked as a landscape contractor in California. He was born and raised in Santa Barbara.
Besides his wife, he is survived by daughter Samahndi, two other brothers Bruce and Anthony, niece Vashti Cunningham, a world champion high jumper, and nephew Randall II.
Sam Cunningham, Date of Birth, Birthday, Family, what about his father, mother, where is he from? Early life
Sam Cunningham’s age was 71 years old at the time of his death. He was born on August 15, 1950, in Santa Barbara, California, United States. Growing up interested in American football, Cunningham played as a fullback in USC for two years after joining at the age of 20 years old.
Sam Cunningham was born to his parents named Samuel and Mabel. He has three brothers named Randall, Bruce, and Anthony. His brothers are also former NFL heroes. They starred as a quarterback for 16 years in NFL. His niece Vashti Cunningham is a world champion high jumper. Similarly, he also has a nephew named Randal II.
Which school and college did he go to? What was his major?
He went to the University of Southern California and Santa Barbara High School. He might be a talented student which is a reflection of his career too.
Sam Cunningham Net worth, how much does he earn?
Sam Cunningham is believed to have left an incredible net worth of $10- $15 million at the time of his death. The late NFL athlete played at the top level for well over a decade and NFL is well known for having high salary caps and earnings.
Hence, we can expect Sam to have made quite a fortune from his earnings as well. Regardless, official sources are yet to confirm the exact net worth value of the NFL great. So, we cannot precisely specify his exact net worth figure.
As it seems that he has earned enough money from his career, he was undoubtedly making a sizable wage and amassing a sizable net worth. Furthermore, his career was his primary source of revenue.
Sam Cunningham Wife, what about his relationship?
Cine Cunningham is best known as the wife of Sam Cunningham. While the exact date of their marriage is not disclosed, it is believed that Sam and Cine were together for a lengthy time, a couple of decades.
They were seen together most of the time where Cine was always his biggest supporter. The last time Cine and Sam were seen together in an event was on December 12, 2020, when they attended the University Kidney Research Organization gala.
Sam Cunningham has a daughter named Samahndi. She is known to be a senior Field Representative at California State Assembly. After she graduated from Dorsey Senior High in 2005, she got enrolled at the University of Southern California. Furthermore, she is currently 34 years old as of 2021. Her birth year is 1987.
Sam Cunningham career, what is his profession?
College career
Cunningham was a letterman for the University of Southern California’s football team from 1970 through 1972 where he played fullback. He was named an All-American in 1972. He was a member of USC’s 1972 national championship team.
In the 1973 Rose Bowl, he scored four touchdowns, which still stands as a modern-day Rose Bowl record. He was named Rose Bowl Player of the Game. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1992 and into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
In 1970, he was part of USC’s “all-black” backfield – the first one of its kind in Division I (NCAA) history – that included quarterback Jimmy Jones and running back Clarence Davis. He had a notable debut performance (135 yards, two touchdowns) against an all-white University of Alabama football team, as USC beat Alabama 42–21 in Birmingham on September 12, 1970.
His performance in the game was reportedly a factor in convincing the University of Alabama and its fans to let Coach Bear Bryant integrate Southern football. Jerry Claiborne, a former Bryant assistant, said, “Sam Cunningham did more to integrate Alabama in 60 minutes than Martin Luther King Jr. did in 20 years.”
Professional career
In only his second year 1974, Cunningham gained 811 yards and nine touchdowns as he led the New England Patriots to a surprising 4–0 start before faltering to a 7–7 finish. In 1977, he gained a career-high 1,015 yards and scored four touchdowns, and also caught 42 receptions for 370 yards and a touchdown.
He played his entire career (1973 through 1982) with the Patriots and was a 1978 Pro Bowl selection. Cunningham was an integral part of the 1978 Patriots, who set an NFL record for rushing yards as a team with 3,165. This record stood for more than forty years and was not broken until the 2019 Baltimore Ravens.
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Cunningham finished his career with 5,453 rushing yards, 210 receptions for 1,905 yards, and 49 touchdowns. He was the older brother of former UNLV and NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham and uncle of Randall Cunningham II and world champion high jumper, Vashti Cunningham.
Cunningham was the 2010 Inductee to the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Is Sam Cunninghamavailable on any kind of social media platform?
We looked for him on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms but were unable to locate him. He must have a social media account under a different name, or he may not have any. Maybe he likes a private life.
Sam Cunningham FAQ’s
Samuel Lewis Cunningham Jr, nicknamed Sam “Bam” Cunningham, was an American football fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football at USC, where he was named an All-American and received MVP honors in the 1973 Rose Bowl.
He played college football at USC, where he was named an All-American and received MVP honors in the 1973 Rose Bowl for scoring a record four touchdowns. Selected in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Patriots, Cunningham became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.
He is the younger brother of former college and professional football player Sam Cunningham and the father of Randall Cunningham II and world champion high jumper, Vashti Cunningham.
He went to the University of Southern California and Santa Barbara High School.
Sam Cunningham’s age was 71 years old at the time of his death. He died on September 7, 2021.
Sam Cunningham’s Body Appearance Height, Weight
| Height | In feet: 6 feet 3 inches Meters: 1.91m Centimeters: 191m |
| Hair color | Black |
| Weight | Kilogram: 103 kg Pound: 226 pounds |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Eye color | Dark brown |
Interesting facts about Sam Cunninghamwhich you should be known about
| Nationality | American |
| Parents | Samuel Mabel Cunningham |
| Gender | Male |
| Wife | Cine Cunningham |
| Birthdate | August 15, 1950 |
