It was fitting that John Wilbur outlasted the marathon runners by a day. Then he made it through the entire football game.

The former NFL player, University of Hawaii assistant football coach and player agent died late Monday at age 70 after a lengthy illness.

"John passed at 11:50, after ‘Monday Night Football’ ended," said his friend Bill Carey. "Very appropriate."

The Diamond Head-area resident counted Hunter S. Thompson and the Kennedy family among his friends. Wilbur was featured in Thompson’s book "The Curse of Lono" when Thompson used Wilbur’s front lawn as headquarters for covering the Hono lulu Marathon in a unique style that included making fun of the runners.

Wilbur’s softer side shone through in his relationship with the Kennedys, as it led to him volunteering every year with Special Olympics.

The Stanford graduate with an M.B.A. from UCLA was known for intelligence and ferocity as an offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins.

He started in the 1973 Super Bowl for the Redskins, and ended his 10-year playing career with the Hawaiians of the World Football League in 1975.

Wilbur was also active as a union player representative.

The San Diego native settled in Hawaii and was a longtime player and coach in the Hawaii rugby community.

Wilbur coached special teams for UH under Dick Tomey in the 1980s.

"He was tremendous, and he had a great passion for it," Tomey said. "John was a rare guy. He loved his kids and everybody else’s kids. He cared so much and was so passionate about football."

Wilbur’s cause of death was unknown Tuesday. His brain is being donated to Boston University for research and determination if he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy,

a degenerative disease suffered by NFL players who had multiple concussions. There is a lawsuit pending against the NFL on Wilbur’s behalf.

When UH stars Jesse Sapolu and Rich Miano went to the NFL, they chose Wilbur as their agent.

"I’d known John since I was a junior at Farrington. I wanted someone who knew me and would fight for me and understood my value as a player," Sapolu said. "He was also one of the most fun coaches because he was a player and he understood the soul of what football was all about."

Miano said Wilbur was always an advocate for the underdog.

"The tough guys with less talent who played with passion," Miano said. "John was very loyal. Unorthodox, different, but one of the best special-teams coaches ever. More importantly, a great friend."

Wilbur spent his final days with family around him.

"He was conscious the last day, and we thought we might have him a few more days," said his daughter Dione. "We laughed and cried together. He had such a rich life."

Wilbur is also survived by daughter Lindsea, son Nathan and four grandchildren.

Services are pending.