CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Former NFL star and long-time sack leader Reggie White died after suffering a massive heart attack at his home near Huntersville, N.C. on Sunday.

"Reggie White was a gentle warrior who will be remembered as one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history," NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said in a statement.

Reggie White, seen in a 1997 photo, died of a heart attack on Sunday. White was a 13-time Pro Bowl selection and finished second all-time in sacks. (AP file photo)

"Equally as impressive as his achievements on the field was the positive impact he made off the field and the way he served as a positive influence on so many young people."

A consensus All-America with the University of Tennessee, White made his pro debut with Memphis in the USFL before jumping to the NFL.

He made an immediate impact, becoming a seven-time Pro Bowl selection in his first eight seasons as defensive end with Philadelphia. He recorded 124 sacks while with the Eagles, including 21 in only 12 games in 1987.

White left Philadelphia to sign as a free agent with Green Bay in 1993 for $17 million over 4 years. He played a pivotal role in the Packers 1997 Super Bowl victory.

During the run-up to the championship, White led a unit that gave up only 210 points in the regular season while setting an NFL record by allowing only 19 touchdowns in a 16-game season.

"He may have been the best player I've ever seen and certainly was the best I've ever played with or against," said Packers quarterback Brett Favre. "Had it not been for Reggie, we don't make it to the Super Bowl. That's how important he was to the team.

"Off the field, he did so much for so many people. He really reached a lot of people and was still involved in fundraising. He had just helped out at a charity dinner of mine in Mississippi a couple years ago and I helped him out with something last year."

A part-time ordained minister, White then made news off the field, making controversial public comments about gays and minorities while addressing the Wisconsin legislature in 1998.

He retired in 1999 but returned with the Carolina Panthers in 2000 before calling it quits for good. With 198 sacks, White held the all-time mark before Bruce Smith broke it in 2003, finishing with 200.

White turned 43 on Dec. 19, and is considered a shoo-in for the 2006 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.