NFL Hall of Famer Lem Barney Not Dead, Family Says

Detroit Lions star and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lem Barney is “alive and well,” his family tells TMZ.

Amid reports that the 80-year-old football icon has died, his son, Lem Barney III, has confirmed to TMZ he is alive, adding that he spoke to him today.

He says he is in the care of “around-the-clock” caretakers who have given him no reason to worry about his health — and says he was even sent a picture of his father today.

Lem III tells TMZ he has no clue why people think his father died … adding this happened a few months back as well. The most recent reports of the pro athlete’s death started circulating earlier this week, and ramped up Saturday as outlets cited the Hall of Fame with confirming the news.

Lem caught the eye of the NFL when he served Jackson State as both a cornerback and a punter. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 1967 NFL draft and immediately made a name for himself, earning the Defensive Rookie of the Year and a first-team All-Pro at cornerback honors.