Weber State football Hall of Famer Bruce Covernton has died at the age of 57, the school announced Tuesday.

The native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, played two seasons as a defensive lineman and started all 11 games as a sophomore.

Covernton then moved to the offensive line, where he played left tackle for Walter Payton Award-winning quarterback Jamie Martin.

He was a first-team All-American in 1991 when Martin led the nation in total offense and Weber State made the playoffs for the second time in school history. WSU went 8-4 that season and Martin threw for 35 touchdowns and more than 4,000 yards.

Covernton, nicknamed “Big Tuna,” then became the No. 1 overall draft pick to the Canadian Football League in 1992. He played 72 games for the Calgary Stampeders and won the Grey Cup with them twice, blocking for quarterbacks Jeff Garcia and Doug Flutie.

“Quick-witted and big-hearted, Bruce was a larger-than-life personality,” Stampeders president Jay McNeil said in a release from the team. “He was a great teammate, a great friend and, more importantly, he had a giant heart for people in need. He will be missed by many. We offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”

Covernton was the CFL’s most outstanding rookie and most outstanding offensive lineman in 1992 and was a one-time CFL All-Star.

He was inducted into the Weber State Hall of Fame in 2016.

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