Former NFL player Rudi Johnson, who played for the Cincinnati Bengals, was found dead of an apparent suicide.
The NFL team released a statement following the reported death of the former running back, who was 45 years old.
“Rudi was a fine person and an excellent running back for us,” Bengals President Mike Brown said in a statement. “He was dependable and productive as a player, and very popular among his teammates. Everyone liked him and saw him as a dear friend. We are deeply saddened by his passing.”
According to NBC News, Johnson, who played his collegiate career with Auburn University, where he was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in 2000, was taken to a medical facility after emergency personnel responded to a phone call in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel arrived around 11:13 a.m., Sept. 22, to treat and transport an “adult trauma alert patient.”
It has been speculated that he died by suicide, as the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office has stated that “no foul play [is] suspected”, as they are investigating Johnson’s death.
“All indications are leading to suicide,” Detective Joseph Peguero told the media outlet.
Johnson’s agent, Peter Schaffer, said that more research needs to be done regarding CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a degenerative brain disease primarily found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma, according to the Concussion Legacy Foundation.”
“These tragic circumstances must also serve as a call to action,” Schaffer said in a written statement. “The NFL and the scientific community must do more — more research into CTE, more innovation into how we can treat it, prevent it, and provide support to those living with it. Players past, present, and future deserve nothing less.”
Johnson was a fourth-round NFL Draft pick, No. 100 overall, when the Bengals selected him in 2001.
His alma mater posted its condolences to the former player on social media.
Johnson also played for the Detroit Lions in 2008, before retiring from the NFL.
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