Rudi Johnson, a former running back for the Cincinnati Bengals, has suddenly d!ed at the age of 45.
TMZ Sports has confirmation from a family member that Johnson d!ed in Florida on Tuesday. The outlet said that the person k!lled themselves!
The story said that the late star had been having mental health problems lately and was worried that he had CTE, a brain illness that is common in former NFL players.
The family source also said that the late NFL player stayed focused on helping others till the end of his life.
According to the site, they added that “[he] was doing everything he could to help people on and off the field… and that’s what mattered most to him.”
The Bengals picked Johnson in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He had a great career at Auburn University, where he was named SEC Player of the Year once.
In his first breakout season, when he was 24, he ran for 957 yards and nine touchdowns. He carried for more than 4,000 yards and scored 36 times in the next three years, making him one of the Bengals’ most reliable offensive weapons.
Johnson’s NFL career came to an end in 2008 after a short time with the Detroit Lions.
Johnson spent a lot of time giving back, in addition to his success on the field.
He started the Rudi Johnson Foundation in 2005 to help families and communities in a number of different ways.
At this time, our thoughts are with Johnson’s family and friends.