Ed Flanagan, who launched from Altoona to a 12-year NFL career as an all-pro center with the Detroit Lions, has died.

The 1960 graduate of Altoona High School was hospitalized at UPMC Altoona with heart problems on Monday evening and died peacefully Wednesday morning, according to his wife, Tina.

Flanagan was 79.

A fifth-round draft pick out of Purdue in 1964, Flanagan played 10 years with the Lions, earning all-pro honors in 1969, ’70, ’71 and ’73, before concluding his career with two years in San Diego.

He was named to the Lions’ 75th anniversary team in 2008 and was inducted into The Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame in 2016.

Flanagan was inducted with Blair County Sports Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 1987.

In addition to his wife, Flanagan is survived by four children, four grandchildren and several siblings in Altoona.

The Mirror will have an obituary in Thursday’s print edition.