This is a list of players of gridiron football (American football and Canadian football) players who died while still on a team roster. Included are players in professional and college football who have died of any cause. For professional football players, the most common cause of death is vehicle crashes. For college players, the most common cause of death is in-game and practice injuries. Each player is listed with the team to which he was assigned at the time of his death, rather than the team with which he spent most of his career. Players who were free agents at the time of their death are not listed.
National Football League
† = Pro Bowler ‡= Hall of Famer
1920–1965 Name Age Position Team Cause of death Year Ralph Anderson 24WR Los Angeles Chargers Diabetic reaction 1960 Jeff Burkett26 WR / P Chicago Cardinals Plane crash 1947 Ernie Davis 23 HB Cleveland Browns Leukemia 1963 Terry Dillon 22 DB Minnesota Vikings Drowned 1964 Bo Farrington 28 TE Chicago Bears Car crash 1964 Don Fleming 25 S Cleveland Browns Accidental electrocution 1963 Willie Galimore 29 HB Chicago Bears Car crash 1964 Howard Glenn 26 G New York Titans Neck injury (in-game) 1960 Ching Hammill 23 BB Providence Steam Roller Crushed by electric crane 1925 Mack Lee Hill 25 FB Kansas City Chiefs Pulmonary embolism 1965 Stone Johnson 23 HB Kansas City Chiefs Neck injury (in-game) 1963 Mose Kelsch 38 K Pittsburgh Pirates Car crash 1935 Galen Laack 27 G Philadelphia Eagles Car crash 1958 Bob Laraba 28 LB San Diego Chargers Car crash 1962 Gene Lipscomb 31 DT Pittsburgh Steelers Drug overdose 1963 Stan Mauldin 27 OT Chicago Cardinals Heart attack 1948 Lucien Reeberg 21 OT Detroit Lions Heart attack 1964 Dave Sparks 26 DT Washington Redskins Coronary thrombosis 1954
1966–1995 Name Age Position Team Cause of death Year Jeff Alm 25DT Houston Oilers Suicide 1993 Eric Andolsek 25 G Detroit Lions Car crash 1992 Troy Archer 24 DE New York Giants Car crash 1979 Brad Beckman 24 TE Atlanta Falcons Car crash 1989 Jerome Brown 27 DT Philadelphia Eagles Car crash 1992 Frank Buncom 29 LB Cincinnati Bengals Blood clot 1969 J. V. Cain 28 TE St. Louis Cardinals Heart attack 1979 Rusty Chambers 27 LB Miami Dolphins Car crash 1981 Kirk Collins 25 CB Los Angeles Rams Esophageal cancer 1984 David Croudip 30 DB Atlanta Falcons Drug overdose 1988 Shane Curry 24 DE Indianapolis Colts Homicide 1992 Joe Delaney 24 RB Kansas City Chiefs Drowned 1983 Jim Duncan 26 CB Baltimore Colts Suicide 1972 Randy Frisch 23 OT Pittsburgh Steelers Car crash 1977 Blenda Gay 26 DE Philadelphia Eagles Homicide 1976 Larry Gordon 28 LB Miami Dolphins Heart attack 1983 David Griggs 28 LB San Diego Chargers Car crash 1995 Roger Hagberg 31 TE Oakland Raiders Car crash 1970 Chuck Hughes 28 WR Detroit Lions Cardiac arrest (in-game), compounded by spleen injury from a previous game 1971 Bruce McLenna 26 FB Kansas City Chiefs Car crash 1968 Ralph Norwood 23 OT Atlanta Falcons Car crash 1989 David Overstreet 25 RB Miami Dolphins Car crash 1984 Brian Piccolo 26 HB Chicago Bears Embryonal cell carcinoma 1970 Ron Rector 24 HB Atlanta Falcons Motorcycle crash 1968 Don Rogers 23 S Cleveland Browns Heart attack 1986 Andy Spiva 24 LB Atlanta Falcons Car crash 1979 Stacey Toran 27 DB Los Angeles Raiders Car crash 1989 Fred Washington 23 DT Chicago Bears Car crash 1990 Dave Waymer 34 S Los Angeles Raiders Heart attack 1993
1996–2021 Name Age Position Team Cause of death YearGaines Adams26DEChicago BearsCardiac arrest2010Jovan Belcher25LBKansas City ChiefsSuicide2012Leon Bender22DTOakland RaidersSeizure 1998Jerry Brown25LBDallas CowboysCar crash2012Brandon Burlsworth22GIndianapolis ColtsCar crash 1999Marcus Cassel23CBCarolina PanthersCar crash 2006Marquis Cooper26LBOakland RaidersPresumed dead from boating accident; body never found2009Rodney Culver26RBSan Diego ChargersPlane crash 1996 Chris Henry 26 WR Cincinnati Bengals Fell out of back of a moving vehicle 2009 Thomas Herrion 23 G San Francisco 49ers Ischaemic heart disease 2005 Marquise Hill 24 DE New England Patriots Drowned 2007 Edwin Jackson 26 LB Indianapolis Colts Car crash 2018 Fred Lane 24 RB Carolina Panthers Homicide 2000 Kenny McKinley 23 WR Denver Broncos Suicide 2010 O.J. Murdock 25 WR Tennessee Titans Suicide 2012 Damien Nash 24 RB Denver Broncos Cardiac failure 2007 Corey Smith 29 DE Detroit Lions Presumed dead from boating accident, body never found 2009 Korey Stringer 27 OT Minnesota Vikings Heat stroke 2001 Sean Taylor 24 FS Washington Redskins Homicide 2007 Derrick Thomas 33 LB Kansas City Chiefs Pulmonary embolism 2000 Eric Turner 31 S Oakland Raiders Stomach cancer 2000 Tray Walker 23 CB Baltimore Ravens Motorcycle crash 2016Darrent Williams24CBDenver BroncosHomicide2007
2022–present Name Age Position Team Cause of death YearJaylon Ferguson26LB, DEBaltimore RavensDrug overdose 2022 Jeff Gladney 25 CB Arizona Cardinals Car crash 2022 Dwayne Haskins 24 QB Pittsburgh Steelers Hit by vehicle while walking 2022 Khyree Jackson 24 CB Minnesota Vikings Car crash 2024 Marshawn Kneeland 24 DE Dallas Cowboys Suicide 2025Rondale Moore 25 WR Minnesota Vikings Suicide 2026
Canadian Football League † = CFL All-Star ‡= Hall of Famer
NameAgePositionTeamCause of deathYearReference(s)Ormond Beach 27FW/LBSarnia Imperials (ORFU)Industrial accident1938Mel Becket 27Center (gridiron football)/DESaskatchewan RoughridersPlane crash1956Norm Casola29SBToronto ArgonautsCancer1998Travis Claridge27OLHamilton Tiger-CatsPneumonia2006Jayden Dalke30S/LBSaskatchewan RoughridersCar crash2026Mario DeMarco 32OL/DESaskatchewan RoughridersPlane crash1956Allen Gallaher26OLBC LionsHeart attack1977Mylan Hicks23DBCalgary StampedersHomicide2016Harry Hood28HBCalgary StampedersCancer1954Jamaica Jackson26LBHamilton Tiger-CatsEnlarged heart2008Cal Jones 23GWinnipeg Blue BombersPlane crash1956Kevin Lapa24LBBC LionsCancer1985Joe McKnight28RBSaskatchewan RoughridersHomicide 2016Jeff Nicklin 30HB/FW/EWinnipeg Blue Bomberskilled in action1945Tom Pate23LBHamilton Tiger-CatsAneurysm (in game)1975Ernie Pitts 35DB/WRBC LionsHomicide1970Derrell Robertson27DELas Vegas PosseCar crash1994Adrian Robinson25LBHamilton Tiger-CatsSuicide2015Junior Robinson27CBMemphis Mad DogsCar accident1995Christian Saulsberry25WREdmonton ElksHomicide 2022Gordon Sturtridge 28DESaskatchewan RoughridersPlane crash1956Dick Suderman 31DBEdmonton EskimosBrain hemorrhage1972Ray Syrnyk 23OL/DESaskatchewan RoughridersPlane crash1956Vernon Vaughn25OLSaskatchewan RoughridersLeukemia1961Don Warrington32RBEdmonton EskimosCar accident1980Ted Watkins27WRHamilton Tiger-CatsShot while robbing a liquor store1968
Minor league football and indoor football NameAgePositionTeamCause of deathYearReference(s)Glen Hepburn29Two-way endOmaha Mustangs Injuries sustained during game vs Michigan Arrows1968Donald Sellers26WRLas Vegas Outlaws Car crash2001Troy Stark28OLNew York/New Jersey Hitmen Complications from surgery2001Julian Yearwood31FB/LBBakersfield Blitz Clogged arteries2003Al Lucas26DTLos Angeles Avengers In-game neck injury vs New York Dragons2005Justin Skaggs28QBUtah Blaze Stage III oligodendroglioma brain cancer 2007Johnathan Goddard27DEColorado Crush Motorcycle crash2008Johnie Kirton26RBSan Jose SaberCats Methadone toxicity2012Dave Coleman Jr.32Offensive linemanJay County PanthersInjuries sustained during game vs Northwest Ohio Knights2012Chandler Williams27WRTampa Bay Storm Cardiac arrest2013Odin Lloyd27LinebackerBoston Bandits Homicide2013Kevin Graden31Offensive linemanSouth Shore Chiefs Car crash2014Deante Smith25Michigan LightningHomicide2015Rodney Sledge40Petersburg LionsCar crash2016Barnard Flowers20Cornerback/SafetyFort Dodge Hawks Injuries sustained during game vs Omaha Outlaws2016Shannon Martin36Inside linebackerYork Silver BulletsHomicide2016Timothy J. Golden19Tight endKansas CougarsHomicide2017Julio Ferrer31Defensive tackleYork Silver BulletsHomicide2017Shareif Simpson25Defensive backCumberland Valley HitmenHomicide2019Eddie Ray Bailey Jr.29Leander WolfpackHomicide2020Chris Brown24Offensive linemanDC Defenders Drowned2021"Ex-USC lineman Chris Brown's death opened window into his life, Los Angeles Times, July 6, 2021.Dave Post22Wide receiverSan Diego Silverbacks Hit by vehicle while changing tire2022Devon Harris25LinebackerVirginia Beach RhinosHomicide2022Marquise Manns Jr.30QuarterbackLansing CrusadersHomicide2022Jessie Lemonier25LinebackerBirmingham Stallions Unknown2023Deveall McClendon25Fullback/Defensive endMinneapolis Warriors Homicide2023Chris Smith31Defensive endSeattle Sea Dragons Unknown2023Alex Collins28Running backMemphis Showboats Motorcycle accident2023Jason Norfolk32Utica Yard Dogs Snowmobile accident2023Xavier Townsend-Keith23Tight endKC LegionHomicide2024Diondre Overton26Wide receiverMemphis Showboats Homicide2024Davian Andrew Pallotto22Running backTri-State Bruins Car crash2024Zachary Bautz28Running backNew Jersey Eagles Car crash2024Zachary Lucas40CenterCoralville Chaos Homicide2025Jaylon Abdul-Karim28Defensive EndIowa Woo Unknown2025Chris Payton-Jones30CornerbackSt. Louis Battlehawks Car crash2026
College