CLIFTON, N.J. — Korey Cunningham, former lineman with the NFL, was found dead in his house in New Jersey. He was 28 years old.
The Clifton Police Department said that officers forced their way into his house on Thursday, according to ESPN. It was after one of his family members contacted police because they could not reach him, The Associated Press reported.
Cunningham died about 18 months after his last NFL game, CBS Sports reported.
“We are saddened to hear of the passing of Korey Cunningham. He was a vital part of the spirit and camaraderie of the locker room. Our thoughts are with Korey’s family, friends and teammates,” the New York Giants said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“We would invite him to the OL dinner every week even though he wasn’t on the team, which doesn’t happen … ever,” former teammate Justin Pugh wrote social media, according to The Athletic. “Team dinners are for players on the team only. Except for Korey….solely because he was beloved by all the guys regardless if you knew him or not! He’d tell stories and we’d laugh our asses off all night.”
“The New England Patriots are saddened to learn of the unexpected passing of Korey Cunningham. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to Korey’s family, teammates and all who mourn his loss,” the New England Patriots said on X.
Cunningham’s cause of death is under investigation but police believe that there was no foul play involved, the AP reported.
He was picked by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 in the seventh round of the draft, the AP reported. He played with the Cardinals for a season, played with the New England Patriots for two seasons and played with the New York Giants in 2021 for two seasons.