NFL Players Who Died Before Turning 50

Among sports stars in America, few are as beloved as professional football players. From the early days, when Jim Thorpe and George Halas were the kings of football, through the days of "Broadway" Joe Namath and Joe "Cool" Montana, and finally to the present icons like Von Miller and Patrick Mahomes, NFL players have often found a special place in the hearts of Americans. Perhaps it's due to the incredibly violent nature of the game, or maybe it's because of their outsized personalities and demeanors. Either way, they are undoubtedly revered and cherished by the public.

Maybe that's why so many of their untimely deaths have been so tragic. From the shooting death of a young Darrent Williams back on New Year's Day in 2007, to the tragic suicide of Junior Seau (pictured) five years later, too many former NFL players have died much too young. While this list is certainly far from complete, these are some of the tragic stories of NFL players who died before turning 50 years old.

Few NFL players have the incredible pedigree and have received the accolades that former defensive end Reggie White has. In his 15 seasons, White made it to 13 Pro Bowls, was named an All-Pro 10 times, and won Super Bowl XXXI with the Green Bay Packers (via the Pro Football Hall of Fame). With a nickname like "The Minister of Defense," he is widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in NFL history. He was named to two NFL All-Decade teams and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2006, and during his career he was feared by pretty much every opposing coach and quarterback he faced.

Unfortunately, after his illustrious career came to an end following the 2000 season, White passed away just a few years later. As reported by The New York Times, White died on Boxing Day, 2004, at the age of just 43. The Packers website later reported it was a combination of sarcoidosis and other ailments, such as sleep apnea, that caused a "fatal cardiac arrhythmia" that killed White in his sleep. White left behind a wife and two children at the time of his passing, and his memory is still honored by the league today.

Sean Taylor, former defensive back for the Washington Commanders, was the victim of a home invasion back in 2007. While staying at his Miami-area home that November, he was shot by the intruders when he tried to fight back against them with a machete (via The New York Times). Taylor was immediately airlifted from his house to a nearby hospital, but later succumbed to his wounds. He was only 24 years old at the time. Previously, Taylor had almost been shot after an altercation in 2005, which also saw him on the receiving end of felony assault and battery charges, but they were later dropped.

Prior to his death, Taylor had already made a name for himself as a controversial player. According to Biography, he was fined by the NFL multiple times during his short career, and at one point was accused of spitting at another player during a game.

In November 2013, Taylor's killer, Eric Rivera Jr., was found guilty of his murder. Reportedly, Rivera had singled out Williams' residence for the robbery, and was one of five assailants. Williams' wife and daughter were present at the robbery but were not injured. Rivera was later given more than five decades in prison following his conviction (per the NFL).

On May 28, 2000, in one of the most shocking deaths in NFL history, Eric Turner died of abdominal cancer (via the Associated Press). Previously a defensive back for the Oakland Raiders, Turner was only 31 years old when he passed away. Just two weeks prior to his death, Turner had made a public statement saying he was not sick, making his passing even more stunning. Immediately, former teammates and coaches made statements expressing their admiration of Turner as a friend and teammate, as well as anguish over his sudden and surprising death.

Prior to playing on the Raiders, Turner had also been a member of the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. He was a multiple-time Pro Bowler and was previously a very high draft pick. The New York Times reported that Turner had lost 70 pounds within a few months due to the cancer, and that while many of his teammates may have been aware of his illness, they did not think it was going to take his life so quickly. Turner had played in the NFL as recently as the 1999 season for the Raiders, and was widely praised by former players for his football abilities.

In 2002, in one of the most patriotic and heroic moves possible, NFL star Pat Tillman enlisted in the U.S. Army (via Biography). A former student at Arizona State University and member of the Arizona Cardinals, Tillman was one of the best linebackers in the league when he decided to unofficially retire. In 2000, he recorded the most tackles in Cardinals history, and he endeared himself to fans by staying with the team instead of flocking for greener and more lucrative pastures. Tillman joined the Army after the September 11th terrorist attacks and subsequent U.S invasion of Afghanistan later that year.

Tillman enlisted with his younger brother, with them both eventually becoming Army Rangers, and Tillman served in both Afghanistan and Iraq during his time in the service. Unfortunately, Tillman was killed while fighting in eastern Afghanistan by fratricide, also known as friendly fire. Initially, Army authorities tried to cover up the incident and put out reports indicating he was killed by enemy forces. 

An ensuing scandal broke out over the Army's false reporting, and it was determined that Tillman's unit had been mistaken for enemy soldiers when they were killed. Tillman earned both a Purple Heart and Silver Star during his time in the military.

Another active NFL player at the time of his passing, Gaines Adams was just 26 years old when he died. A member of the Chicago Bears as a defensive lineman, Adams died from a heart attack on January 17, 2010 (as reported by the Associated Press via The New York Times). He had gone into cardiac arrest that Sunday morning, and reportedly had an enlarged heart. Before making it to the NFL, Adams was a star player for the Clemson Tigers in college, most remembered for his game-clinching defensive touchdown against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in 2006.

Though he had struggled to make much of an impact defensively since entering the NFL, Adams was still highly regarded by his teammates and coaches. Among people who spoke on his behalf were former teammates Brian Urlacher and Ronde Barber, former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell called him "a terrific young man," while Barber lamented his tragic death at such a young age (via the Los Angeles Times).

The death of Chuck Hughes (pictured above, #85) on October 24, 1971, rocked and shocked the sports world. As reported by The New York Times, Hughes died while playing in an NFL game for the Detroit Lions. Hughes had just caught a pass when he suddenly collapsed three plays later, while on his way back into the huddle. He is the only NFL player to have died in the middle of a game. Hughes was only in the game because starter Larry Walton had been forced out with an injury. He was only 28 years old and had been in the NFL since the 1967 season.

It later emerged that Hughes had died from arteriosclerosis and an acute coronary thrombosis. Hughes likely didn't know he had arteriosclerosis heart disease, which does not have visible signs, and which is uncommon in someone as young as he was. He left behind a wife and a young son, and though he had previously complained about chest pains, he was thought to be relatively healthy at the time of his death.

Just days before Christmas in 2022, former Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman tragically passed away from cancer; he was just 31 years old at the time. A former member of the Broncos 2015 Super Bowl team with Peyton Manning, Hillman was first known to be sick on December 20, when former teammate Orlando Franklin posted a message on social media about Hillman being in the hospital. Another former teammate, Derek Wolfe, also relayed that he had cancer and had recently contracted pneumonia (via DenverSports.com).

He was pronounced dead the following day on December 21. According to a statement from his family posted to his Instagram, Hillman had a form of cancer known as renal medullary carcinoma, which usually affects young African-American people who have another disorder known as sickle cell trait. 

The Broncos released a statement on his passing, calling him "soft-spoken with a warm smile" and remembering his achievements during the historic Super Bowl season. Previously, Hillman had been a running back at San Diego State University, and he also played for the Minnesota Vikings and San Diego Chargers (via NFL.com).

Wide receiver Mike Williams had an explosive rookie season. Drafted out of Syracuse in the fourth round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010, Williams caught a total of 65 passes and converted those into 964 yards and 11 touchdowns his rookie year. That last figure set a team record for receptions, and that helped push Williams into second place in voting for that year's Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Williams would ultimately play 63 games across a five-season NFL career, all but one of those years with the Buccaneers, amassing 223 catches, 3,089 yards, and 26 touchdowns.

In early September 2023, Williams suffered serious injuries, including partial paralyzation, in a construction accident in Hillsborough County, Florida. On September 7, doctors at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa removed Williams from the ventilator controlling his breathing, and on September 12, 2023, he died. The former NFL standout was 36 years old.

Derek Sherrard "D.J." Hayden almost never made it to the NFL. A star cornerback at the University of Houston, Hayden suffered a life-threatening injury during a practice in 2012 after colliding with another player. The athletic trainer had him rushed to the ICU where doctors performed open heart surgery on the vena cava blood vessel, saving his life.

Though his college playing days were over, Hayden miraculously managed to rehabilitate himself, becoming a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders. Hayden eventually spent nine seasons in the league as a cornerback, playing through the 2021 season. His best season was in 2015, when he started 13 games, had an interception and a forced fumble, and combined for 70 tackles.

Sadly, Hayden's amazing life story was cut short on November 11, 2023, when he died after a car crash in downtown Houston. Hayden was riding in an SUV with several others when a different car plowed into them after running a red light. Four were pronounced dead at the scene and two more later died at the hospital as a result of their injuries.

While authorities did not release the names of the victims, the University of Houston announced that two of his former teammates were also killed in the crash. Hayden was only 33 at the time of his death and just two years removed from his NFL career.