New England Patriots fans should spare some thoughts for Andre Tippett.
The Patriots legend revealed to The Athletic’s Steve Buckley on Monday his mother and stepfather both died from COVID-19 last week within days of each other. Willie Lovett succumbed to the virus April 21, and Frances Tippett Lovett died Saturday, just four days after her husband. Both were 79 years old.
“I know this is going on all over the world,” said. ‘But someone asked me two months ago, or maybe six weeks ago, if I knew anybody that had been touched by that. And I remember saying, ‘No. But God forbid that anything like that would happen in my family.’ And I thought that nothing would happen.
“Next thing I know, I get the call that my step-dad is in the hospital for a heart procedure, and he ends up being tested positive. “And my mother was at the hospital, and now she’s feeling like she was at a sauna. And they had to keep her there.
“She had a heart condition as well, and on top of that, with the antibiotics and all the things they were trying to do, neither one of them could make it. They both went comatose. So it was a very tough time for us.”
Tippett’s son, Coby, also tested positive for COVID-19. After spending time in self-quarantine, the Towson University defensive back has returned home and is with his family.
Andre Tippett played his entire NFL career with the Patriots between 1982 and 1993. He was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and credited his mother during his enshrinement speech for his success in football and life.
