Biography
Born and raised in Spokane, Washington, Steve Gleason's talent on the defensive end of the football field led him to a scholarship at nearby Washington State University. While there, he led a defensive squad that took WSU to Rose Bowl in 1997. He also earned All Pac-10 honors and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts in 2000. Although he never made it off of the Colts practice squad, the New Orleans Saints took a chance on him and Gleason earned a spot on the team's special teams squad as well as a place in their defensive rotation. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, Gleason became a part of New Orleans lore when in 2006, during the team's first game in their rebuilt stadium, he blocked an Atlanta Falcons punt which was recovered by the Saints in the end zone for their first score in the city since the storm. The moment proved to be a turning point for the city and the team, which went on to have their most successful season to date. In 2009 the Saints won the Super Bowl and, although Gleason had retired in 2008, the team awarded him a Championship ring. In 2011, Gleason revealed that he was battling ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. In 2012, the city of New Orleans unveiled a statue outside the Superdome titled "Rebirth" depicting Gleason's blocked punt. In 2016, the documentary "Gleason" (2016), depicting the Gleasons and their battle with ALS, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film was picked up by Amazon and Open Road.
