Charles White USC Obituary, Funeral

Charles White was a professional American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for nine seasons during the 1980s.

He played college football for the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American and winner of the Heisman Trophy. A first-round pick (27th overall) in the 1980 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL.

After his release from the Browns in 1985, he reunited with his college coach, John Robinson, who was then coaching the Los Angeles Rams. White would play for the Rams for four seasons, 1985-1988.

White finished his NFL career with 3,075 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns, along with 114 receptions, 860 yards and one receiving touchdown.

During his years at USC, White struggled with cocaine and marijuana use. In 1978, Sports Illustrated article, he admitted to smoking marijuana daily at USC and snorted his first line of cocaine a few weeks before the 1977 Rose Bowl.

A Los Angeles Times article on July 17, 2022, by Bill Plaschke, describes White’s struggles with dementia and how he was living in an Orange County, CA assisted living facility as of 2022.

He died on January 11, 2023, at the age of 64.