Former NFL Player Uche Nwaneri Passes Away at 38


A former offensive lineman who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars was found dead last week in West Lafayette, Indiana.

According to the Lafayette Journal & Courier, Uche Nwaneri was discovered at his wife’s home last Friday after returning from a trip to Georgia. He drove from the Peach State to see his wife in Indiana. She found him unresponsive in a bedroom at her house when she returned around 1 a.m. When she found him, she called 911.

An autopsy was performed earlier this week on Monday, and there were no indications of foul play, according to Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello. The results of a toxicology report are pending. It is speculated that he may have died from a possible heart attack.

His former NFL team, the Jaguars, released a statement earlier this week:

“Uche Nwaneri has passed away.”

“Nwaneri, a starting offensive guard for the Jaguars from 2007-2013, passed away Friday, the team confirmed Monday. He was 38.”

“Nwaneri, fifth-round selection in the 2007 NFL Draft from Purdue University, started 92 of 104 games for the Jaguars. He was a key member of the offensive line when Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew won the 2011 NFL rushing title with a franchise-record 1,606 yards.”

People reported that in 1973, Nwaneri’s parents immigrated to the United States from Nigeria. The 38-year-old former player was born in Dallas in 1984. His parents reportedly named him Uchechukwu Nwaneri, which translates to “God’s wish” in their native language.

After his playing days with the Jaguars, Nwaneri went to play for his hometown football team, the Dallas Cowboys. Although he signed with them in 2014, he was released after not making the final roster cuts that year.

When his football career was over, he started a YouTube channel called The Observant Lineman. He, along with other former NFL players, would analyze recent football games on the program. His most recent show was uploaded two weeks ago, dissecting the onfield play of the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Eagles. His YouTube channel had 21,400 subscribers.


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