Clemson legend Jim Stuckey beats cancer, says he simply "refused to die"

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GREENVILLE – Clemson legend Jim Stuckey has two Super Bowl rings, and he’s immensely proud of both. But the most important ring came when he rang the bell to signify that he had conquered yet another foe in cancer.

How did he defeat cancer? He refused to die.

Stuckey, who attended Airport High School in Cayce, played for Clemson from 1976-79, earning First-Team All-American honors his senior season. The San Francisco 49ers selected Stuckey as a first-round pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, and his clutch fumble recovery in the NFC Championship helped propel the 49ers to their first Super Bowl title—one of two he would earn. After football, Stuckey built a thriving career in real estate while continuing to give back to his community.

Stuckey recently faced another obstacle but is cancer-free after an extensive battle with head and neck cancer. Trident Medical Center held a red-carpet celebration a few weeks ago to celebrate Stuckey’s victory.

Last week, the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame honored Stuckey as a Class of 2024 inductee. Prior to the ceremony, held at Hotel Hartness, a dapper Stuckey sat at a table autographing several items that would later go to auction, as well as helmets, mini helmets, and other paraphernalia sent by the 49ers for his signature.

His voice is still raw and raspy, and speaking with any power is a chore, but he still gets his point across, his piercing blue eyes showing the vitality of a much younger man.

Stuckey sat patiently at the table, a massive smile on his face, savoring every moment of a renewed life. In an exclusive interview with TigerNet, Stuckey recounted the Hall of Fame honor and how he defeated cancer. He started by saying (and writing, with much of the interview written out in a Sharpie to save his voice) that learning he was sick was a shock.

“I never thought it would happen to me,” Stuckey said. “That stuff just did not happen. But after I learned the diagnosis, I wanted to know the plan to get better. I refused to die. And I had an incredible team of doctors and support from my family.”

Surgery and treatments all took a toll, but he was able to walk out of Trident Medical Center after ringing the bell. Stuckey is quick to pull out his Super Bowl rings – he carried them in a coat pocket last week because the rings don’t fit right now – and let fans see them, try them, and take pictures. But ringing that bell? That was an accomplishment.

“Ringing the bell was and is the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he said.

Stuckey spent time with former teammates and foes and laughed with Danny Ford and several of the coaches in attendance. There were smiles and hugs and the good-natured ribbing between men who have shared locker rooms and practice fields.

And the man who refused to die? He embraced it most of all.

“I am thrilled to be here,” Stuckey said with a twinkle in his eye. “This is an honor, and I have several members of my family here with me to share this. Really, I am happy to be here.”

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