E-Paper
Rudi Johnson cause of death: Ex-NFL star dies by suicide at 45 amid ‘CTE’ and mental health struggles
Rudi Johnson, ex-NFL running back for the Bengals, died by suicide at 45. Reports suggest he faced mental health challenges and potential CTE symptoms.
Rudi Johnson, a former running back for the Cincinnati Bengals, died by suicide at the age of 45, police told TMZ Sports.
The former NFL player passed away this week. According to people close to him, he had been struggling with mental health issues and may have been coping with the symptoms of CTE that he “could not overcome.”
Who was Rudi Johnson? A look at his career
Johnson started slowly after being selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He didn't play much in his first two seasons with the Bengals.
However, Johnson really took off in Year 3 as he ran for 957 yards and nine touchdowns at the age of 24. With more than 4,000 running yards and 36 touchdowns over the course of the following three seasons, he became one of the league's most prolific backs.
Johnson had excelled at Auburn University, where he won the SEC Player of the Year award, prior to turning pro.
Following his NFL career, which concluded in 2008 with a last visit with the Detroit Lions, he spent time volunteering.
He established a foundation with the goal of assisting families and children via neighborhood initiatives. Service, on and off the field, has always been important to him, according to his family.
Rudi Johnson passes away: All about his mental health struggles
According to family sources, Johnson was coping with mental health concerns and potentially the aftereffects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), as per TMZ. He was helping others "on and off the field... and that's what mattered most to him" before he passed away, the family said.
There is no proof that he was given a CTE diagnosis, and his difficulties are not described in public medical documents. However, the reference to potential CTE raises the possibility that his cognitive function may have been declining.
The frequent brain trauma that NFL players experience during their careers has been significantly linked to mental health issues; CTE can only be conclusively identified after death.
