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Legendary receiver at Jackson State, Willie Richardson, dies

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Jackson State legendary wide receiver Willie Richardson has died.

Hinds County Coroner Sharon-Grisham Stewart tells The Clarion Ledger (http://on.thec-l.com/1KatQfP ) Richardson died of natural causes Monday. He was 76.

Richardson was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the seventh round of the 1963 NFL draft. He played nine seasons in the NFL, mostly for the Baltimore Colts, and appeared in Super Bowl III.

He finished his professional career with 195 receptions for 2,950 yards and 25 touchdowns. Richardson, who played at JSU from 1959-63, was inducted into the college's Hall of Fame in 1978 and into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame a year later.

Former Jackson State standouts Eddie Payton and Harold Jackson both played in the NFL. They both credit Richardson for helping them reach that level.

"When they were recruiting me, there wasn't a lot of (Jackson State) guys going into the NFL then," said Payton, the current Tigers golf coach. "Willie was one of the first group (to go pro) ... being motivated to follow in Willie's footsteps and do the same thing he and his family had been able to do at Jackson State led me here."

Said Jackson, who also played receiver, described Richardson as a pioneer.

"He's the one that paved the way for me. He was the one most of the kids over there looked up to," Jackson said.

Most recently, Richardson hosted an hour-long weekly radio show on ESPN The Zone 105.9. He was also the color analyst for JSU's football broadcasts on the radio. He's spent the past few years working with Tigers' play-by-play man Rob Jay, general manager of JSU TV and radio.

"He was my best friend and the best at what he did," Jay said. "We worked well together and had a chemistry like no other. He will never be replaced."

During the football season, Richardson also hosted the JSU football coach's call-in show. He spent the better part of the past two seasons with Jackson, who was the Tigers coach in 2014 and some of 2015, on that show.

"The year I had with him, working over there at Jackson State doing the show and stuff, I learned a lot from Willie," Jackson said. "He's one of those fiery guys. He always kept you laughing and kept you happy. He's going to be really missed."

Richardson's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson.

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Information from: The Clarion-Ledger, http://www.clarionledger.com

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