10 American football Players Who Died 2019 | American football (NFL)

10 American football Players Who Died 2019 | American football (NFL)

George Atkinson III

George Henry Atkinson III emerged as a versatile athlete from Granada High School in Livermore, California, excelling both as a sprinter on the track and a dynamic running back on the gridiron. After redshirting in 2011, he became a key special teams contributor and occasional ball-carrier for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish—amassing nearly 1,000 all-purpose yards and 10 total touchdowns over three seasons, while also earning honorable mention All-American honors as a kickoff return specialist .Born November 29, 1992 into an NFL family—his father, George Atkinson II, was a two-time Super Bowl champion safety for the Raiders—George III faced profound personal tragedy late in life: his mother succumbed to complications of Crohn’s disease in October 2018, and just two months later, his twin brother Josh died by suicide on December 25, 2018. Struggling with depression and post-traumatic anguish, he penned an open letter in October 2019 describing his mental health battles, including a hospitalization after a suicide attempt . On December 2, 2019—three days after turning 27 and while raising a two‑year‑old daughter—Atkinson was found dead at his home, with no immediate cause released; his family later confirmed that he too had died by suicide . Posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), his story has become a poignant chapter in the ongoing dialogue about mental health and head trauma in football.

Nicholas Buoniconti

Nicholas Anthony Buoniconti, born December 15, 1940, in Springfield, Massachusetts, emerged from a family bakery to become one of professional football’s most esteemed figures. A standout at Cathedral High School, he went on to star at Notre Dame, where his leadership and tackling prowess earned him All‑America honors in 1961. Undersized yet fearless, Buoniconti was selected in the 13th round of the 1962 AFL Draft by the Boston Patriots, quickly establishing himself as a force at middle linebacker with five consecutive All‑AFL selections and a team rookie‑of‑the‑year nod. In 1969 he was traded to the Miami Dolphins, where his tenacity anchored the famed “No‑Name Defense” that powered Miami to back‑to‑back Super Bowl championships, including the perfect 17–0 season in 1972. Over a 15‑year career he amassed 32 interceptions—still an NFL linebacker record—and was named to the Pro Bowl twice. After retiring, he earned a law degree, represented elite athletes as an agent, and served briefly as president of the U.S. Tobacco Company before transitioning to broadcasting, co‑hosting HBO’s Inside the NFL for 23 seasons. Following his son Marc’s paralysis in 1985, Buoniconti co‑founded the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, raising over half a billion dollars for spinal cord research. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001, he later became an outspoken advocate for CTE awareness, pledging his own brain to science. Buoniconti died of pneumonia on July 30, 2019, at age 78, leaving a legacy defined as much by his humanitarian spirit as his gridiron greatness. 

Neiron Ball

Neiron Ball was an American football linebacker who played for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Born August 20, 1992 and raised in Jackson, Georgia, Ball starred at Jackson High School before committing to the University of Florida, where he played from 2011 to 2014 and emerged as a standout pass rusher. The Raiders selected him in the fifth round (161st overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft, and he recorded his first professional sack against Josh McCown of the Cleveland Browns that September. Over his rookie season, he appeared in six games, tallying nine tackles, one sack, and a fumble recovery before a knee injury landed him on injured reserve in December 2015. As early as 2011, Ball had been diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a rare tangle of blood vessels in the brain, but he recovered to play at Florida and in the NFL. After football, he returned home and took a job with the U.S. Postal Service in early 2019, cherishing calmer days with family and friends. In December 2018, Ball suffered a brain aneurysm and was placed in a medically induced coma, leaving him quadriplegic before briefly emerging from the coma in the spring of 2019. Despite months of treatment and the steadfast support of teammates, family, and fans, he passed away at age 27 in Jackson, Georgia, on September 9, 2019. His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from the Raiders organization, the Florida Gators community, and the wider NFL family, who remembered him as a gifted athlete with relentless drive and an indomitable spirit. Though his promising career was cut tragically short, Ball’s perseverance in the face of adversity continues to inspire players and fans alike.

Cedric Benson

Cedric Myron Benson, born December 28, 1982, in Midland, Texas, emerged as one of the most prolific college running backs in University of Texas history before embarking on a decade‑long professional career. At Texas, Benson shattered school records with 5,540 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns, earning consensus All‑American honors and leading the Longhorns to a national championship in the 2005 Rose Bowl. Selected fourth overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2005 NFL Draft, he produced four solid seasons in Chicago, amassing 3,059 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground. In 2009 he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he enjoyed his most productive campaigns—totaling over 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns across two seasons. A brief stint with the Carolina Panthers in 2012 and a return to the Bears in 2013 concluded his NFL tenure; he later extended his playing days in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and BC Lions, displaying his trademark power‑running style into his early thirties. Off the field, Benson faced legal challenges—several traffic‑related incidents and a 2008 aggravated assault arrest—which he acknowledged as personal mistakes he learned from as he matured. Tragically, on August 17, 2019, at age 36, Benson lost control of his motorcycle on Loop 1 (MoPac) in Austin, Texas, and crashed into a tree, suffering fatal injuries; he was pronounced dead at Dell Seton Medical Center. His passing prompted an outpouring of grief from former teammates, coaches, and fans who remembered his competitive fire, work ethic, and the joy he brought to the game. Cedric Benson’s legacy endures in Longhorn lore and in the memories of those who witnessed his bruising, uncompromising style of play.

James Langer

James John Langer, born May 16, 1948, in Little Falls, Minnesota, emerged from Royalton High School and South Dakota State University—where he starred both as a middle linebacker and on the offensive line—to sign undrafted with the Cleveland Browns in 1970 before finding his true home with the Miami Dolphins. In 1972, in coach Don Shula’s debut season, Langer became the starting center and famously played every offensive down of the NFL’s only perfect 17–0 campaign, anchoring the line that powered Miami to victories in Super Bowls VII and VIII. Over the next six seasons, he earned six straight Pro Bowl selections (1973–1978), was named first‑team All‑Pro three times, and was voted Dolphins MVP in 1975, demonstrating a versatility that allowed him to excel at both center and guard . After ten seasons in Miami, he closed out a remarkable 12‑year career with the Minnesota Vikings in 1981. In recognition of his impact, Langer was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1987, one of only four Dolphins to receive that honor at debut eligibility . Known for his selfless toughness and leadership, he later served as a radio color commentator and saw his name enshrined in the Dolphins Walk of Fame and through the Jim Langer Award, given annually to the nation’s top Division II lineman. At age 71, Langer passed away on August 29, 2019, at a hospital in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, following a sudden heart-related ailment, leaving behind his wife, Linda, and their four children.

Reginald John

Reginald John “Reggie” Cobb was a standout American football running back whose journey took him from local hero in Knoxville to NFL productions and, ultimately, to a respected scouting career. A Central High School alumnus, Cobb rushed for over 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior before starring at the University of Tennessee, where he led the Southeastern Conference in touchdowns as a freshman and finished his collegiate tenure with more than 2,300 rushing yards and 26 scores . Selected in the second round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he logged seven professional seasons, including a career‑best 1,171 yards and nine touchdowns in 1992, and later wore the colors of Green Bay, Jacksonville and New York . Following his on‑field retirement in 1996, Cobb transitioned seamlessly into scouting: after an initial stint with Washington, he spent six years evaluating talent for Tampa Bay and then joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2009, earning NFC Scout of the Year honors in 2011 from the Fritz Pollard Alliance . On April 20, 2019, while based in the Bay Area, Cobb suffered a fatal heart attack—later revealed to be caused by an artery 80% blocked—and was pronounced dead at age 50 . Remembered for his powerful running style, infectious competitiveness and keen eye for emerging talent, Cobb’s legacy endures in both Volunteer lore and the scout community he helped shape.

Gino Marchetti

Gino Marchetti, the fearsome defensive end whose relentless pass rush redefined professional football’s defensive standards, passed away on April 30, 2019, at the age of 93. Born May 2, 1926, in Smithers, West Virginia, Marchetti grew up in poverty before his family relocated to Antioch, California, where he distinguished himself as an all‑conference performer at Antioch High School. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he attended the University of San Francisco, starring for the Dons’ back‑to‑back unbeaten teams in 1951 and 1952 before being selected in the 1953 NFL Draft by the Dallas Texans. A trade sent him to the Baltimore Colts in 1956, and over the next 13 seasons he anchored a defensive line that became the Colts’ trademark. Renowned for his powerful hands, quick first step, and uncanny ability to disengage blockers, he earned nine Pro Bowl selections, was named first‑team All‑Pro six times, and played a pivotal role in Baltimore’s back‑to‑back NFL championships in 1958 and 1959—culminating in the “Greatest Game Ever Played,” the 1958 NFL title that propelled the league to national prominence. Retiring after the 1966 season with 138 career sacks (unofficially recorded), Marchetti’s impact was immortalized by his 1972 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Off the field, he built a thriving restaurant and real estate business in suburban Philadelphia, where he and his late wife, Aggie, raised five children and maintained deep community ties. Fondly remembered as a humble, hard‑working family man and consummate team player, Gino Marchetti’s legacy lives on through the countless defensive linemen he inspired and the standard of excellence he set for generations to follow.

Anthony Cunningham

Anthony “T.J.” Cunningham Jr., born October 24, 1972, in Aurora, Colorado, was a standout athlete at Overland High School before earning a scholarship to the University of Colorado, where he lettered four years (1992–95) as both a wide receiver and defensive back. At CU, he tallied 21 receptions for 139 yards in his first two seasons, then transitioned to defense as a senior, recording 19 pass breakups and two interceptions, achievements that helped him earn First-Team All-Big Eight and Honorable Mention All-American honors alongside two Academic All-Big Eight selections . Cunningham’s collegiate success led to his selection by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 1996 NFL Draft (209th overall); he appeared in nine games that season before a knee injury curtailed his professional career, and he was released in August 1997 .Following football, Cunningham returned to Aurora and served as an assistant principal at William C. Hinkley High School, remaining active in CU’s alumni community through Buffs4Life. On February 17, 2019, he agreed to meet his neighbor, 31‑year‑old Marcus Johnson, in a parking lot at Eaglecrest High School to “box it out” over an ongoing dispute about a parking space; during the encounter, Johnson shot Cunningham three times in the head and chest. Cunningham was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on February 18 at age 46 . In May 2022, Johnson was convicted of second‑degree murder and later sentenced to 45 years in prison.

MacArthur Lane

MacArthur Lane, whose NFL tenure spanned eleven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, and Kansas City Chiefs, passed away on May 4, 2019, in his hometown of Oakland, California. He was 77 years old . A versatile athlete at Utah State University, Lane earned three letters each as a linebacker and running back between 1965 and 1967, rushing for 1,182 yards on just 171 carries (a 6.9 yards-per-carry average that still ranks among the Aggies’ all‑time best) and scoring eight touchdowns during his final two seasons . Selected 13th overall by the Cardinals in the 1968 NFL–AFL Draft at age 26, he quickly established himself as a workhorse back; over four seasons in St. Louis he tallied 2,000 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl honors in 1970 after leading the league with 11 rushing scores . In February 1972 he was traded to Green Bay, where he teamed with John Brockington to help the Packers reach the playoffs for the first time since 1967, rushing for 1,711 yards and seven touchdowns in three seasons . Traded to Kansas City in 1975, Lane became the NFL’s leading receiver among running backs in 1976 with 66 catches, and even at age 36 recorded a 144‐yard rushing game against the Buffalo Bills—a record for oldest player to top 100 rushing yards in a contest. Off the field, Lane was a devoted family man and philanthropist: he is survived by his wife, Edna, and daughters Rhonda and Cassandra, and was remembered by lifelong friend and former teammate Raymond Chester as “smart as a whip, kindhearted and generous,” a testament to his impact both on and off the gridiron.

Sam Davis

Samuel “Sam” Davis was an American professional football player who manned the guard position for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1967 through 1979. Born July 5, 1944 in Jacksonville, Florida, he honed his skills at Northwestern High School before playing college ball at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina. Despite going undrafted in 1967, Davis earned a roster spot under coach Chuck Noll and, after three seasons as a reserve, became the Steelers’ full‑time left guard in 1970. Over his 13‑year career, he appeared in 168 games with 114 starts, anchoring the line that powered Pittsburgh’s famed “Steel Curtain” offense alongside left tackle Jon Kolb. A quintessential team player and quiet leader—so revered that quarterback Terry Bradshaw spotlighted him in his Hall of Fame induction speech—Davis helped the Steelers capture four Super Bowl titles (IX, X, XIII and XIV) and was later named to both the franchise’s 50th Anniversary Team and Hall of Honor . After hanging up his cleats, he remained in the Pittsburgh area, cherished by teammates and community members alike. In his later years, Davis battled dementia and legal blindness while residing at the New Life Care Personal Home in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. On the morning of September 10, 2019, at age 75, he was reported missing and, later that evening, was found deceased within the facility; his family confirmed that he died of a heart attack. A funeral at Bidwell Presbyterian Church celebrated his life, where friends and former Steelers lauded him as “a compassionate man, a quiet leader” whose legacy endures in Pittsburgh lore.