After his 245-pound self was told by then-Razorbacks offensive line coach Mike Bender that linemen have to be over 300 pounds, he ate extensively and came back over the 300 lb mark in portly shape.
He was the first Razorback football player to complete a master's degree before playing in his final game, the 1999 Citrus Bowl.
[7] Shortly after his death, Burlsworth's jersey number, 77, was permanently retired in a ceremony at Arkansas's first home game of the 1999 season.
[9] In 2013, Bleacher Report named Burlsworth the #1 Greatest Walk-On player of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Era.
[10] Eleven days after being drafted, Burlsworth was killed in a car accident near Alpena, Arkansas, on April 28, 1999, on his way back to his hometown of Harrison after a workout in Fayetteville.
[13] After his death, family and friends established the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation in honor of his work ethic and Christian values.
[19] Today, through the "Burls Kids" program, the Burlsworth Foundation provides underprivileged youths with a chance to attend Razorback and Colts football games.
The Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, in partnership with Walmart/Sam's Optical Department and independent optometrists across Arkansas, provides eye care to thousands of pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students.
Primarily, these students come from working families who cannot afford extras like eye care and do not qualify for state funded programs.
The campers learn football skills but, more importantly, they are taught throughout the day about character, attitude, morals, priorities, and the desire to do it "The Burls Way".
Eighteen students at the University of Arkansas who are primarily from smaller towns and who are characterized as academic overachievers receive $5,000 scholarships.
[24] The Brandon Burlsworth Award is given out yearly to one male and one female athlete at Harrison High School and the University of Arkansas who best exemplify the strength of character and work ethic known as "The Burls Way".
Brian Reindl, a former real estate investor and fellow University of Arkansas graduate, spent eight years working on the screenplay.
[29] David Hunt, who also helped Brian write the screenplay, directed the movie, and Gabe Mayhan was director of photography.
Greater originally had a U.S. theatrical release date scheduled for January 2016, which was later moved to summer 2016, starring Neal McDonough, Leslie Easterbrook, Michael Parks, Nick Searcy, Quinton Aaron, M. C. Gainey, Fredric Lehne, Texas Battle, Wayne Duvall, and Christopher Severio as Brandon, as well as cameos by author Jeff Kinley and Brandon's brother, Marty Burlsworth.
John Randle and Aeneas Williams, both members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, participated in an interactive roundtable discussion following the screening.
The press release stated that the change was due to "[o]verwhelming positive response from screening audiences and the desire of a national theater chain to show it in more locations".