LOS ANGELES —Ernie Barnes, an African American figurative painter and former lineman for the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos, has died. He was 70.

Barnes died Monday at a hospital of complications from a rare blood disorder, his longtime assistant and friend Luz Rodriguez said. She would not elaborate on the disorder.

His famous "Sugar Shack" dance scene appeared on the cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" in 1976 and the closing credits of the "Good Times" television show.

His paintings are characterized by elongated figures with their eyes closed and many capture the dynamism of sports. Paul Von Blum, an art history and African American studies professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, called him one of the premier figurative artists of his era.

Barnes played football at North Carolina College, a historically black school now called North Carolina Central University. He played from 1960-1964 for the New York Titans, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.

"Throughout my five seasons in the arena of professional football, I remained at the deepest level of my being—an artist," he wrote in his 1995 autobiography, "From Pads to Palette."

In 1965, New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin recognized Barnes' passion for art and paid him for one season so he could focus on painting, according to Barnes' biography posted on this Web site. A year later, Barnes had his first solo exhibition at Grand Central Art Galleries in Manhattan and retired from football.

Barnes was commissioned by the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Committee, the NBA and by entertainment superstars such as Kanye West and Sylvester Stallone.