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Under The Shell: How the deaths of Len Bias and Jordan McNair shaped the University of Maryland’s future

In 1986, Maryland lost one of its most legendary athletes after Len Bias passed away two days following his No. 2 selection by the Boston Celtics. It was an incident the university vowed would never happen again.

Yet 32 years later, offensive lineman Jordan McNair died following an offseason football workout. Tragedy struck again.

While both athletes died due to different circumstances, the fallout effects from both incidents were similar. This week, the Under the Shell Podcast completes a months-long deep dive to examine the long-term impact of both situations.

“If I were a university president, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night,” Robert Dorfamn, who led a task force investigation into the academic performances of Maryland athletics following Bias’ death, said.