#22: William Perry
The jovial and larger-than-life figure known as William “The Refrigerator” Perry, famous for his infectious grin, once enjoyed a lavish lifestyle thanks to the millions he raked in during his illustrious 10-year NFL career. Perry’s athletic prowess etched his name in the record books as the largest running back ever to score a touchdown, a feat that captured the hearts of fans worldwide. However, the current chapter of his life tells a different story, one marked by financial depletion and declining health.
In a startling turn of events, he had even resorted to auctioning off his cherished Super Bowl ring just a year earlier, fetching a modest sum of $200,000. Adding to his woes, Perry grapples with the challenges of alcoholism, diabetes, and the debilitating Guillain–Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that inflicts nerve damage. His brother, Michael Dean Perry, himself a former football player, disclosed that William now relies on social security and disability payments from the NFL to make ends meet.