https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38548143/former-pro-bowl-te-russ-francis-dies-plane-crash

Russ Francis, is dead at 70, on a Sunday.

This happened on a Sunday, a span of 78 days from Pope Francis December 17th birthday.
Russ Francis = 78
Sunday = 78
Jesuit = 78

This happened 48-years after he was drafted into the NFL (1975). *Russ Francis = 48

This happened in NFL Week 4. Of course, 4 is associated with death.

And this happened on a day his former team got beat 38-3. *Death = 38

He also played for the 49ers, of San Francisco, the city named after St. Francis of Assisi.