Former Heisman winner and NFL running back Rashaan Salaam passed away at the young age of 42 earlier in December. It was a shocking death of a young man, one that hit the Colorado Buffalo community especially hard.
Now, less than a month after he was found dead in a Boulder park, Salaam’s death has been ruled a suicide.
“Rashaan Salaam, whose body was found in Boulder, Colorado, on Dec. 5, committed suicide by shooting himself in the head, the coroner’s office reported Thursday,” ESPN reports. “The Boulder County Coroner’s Office reported that the autopsy showed the cause of Salaam’s death was a gunshot wound to the head.”
At the request of the family, Salaam was not tested for Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) — an affliction multiple former football players have dealt with prior to committing suicide. Though, his brother just recently indicated that Salaam was suffering through the symptoms of the dreaded disease prior to his suicide (via USA Today).
The former Heisman winner helped Colorado finish the 1994 season with an 11-1 record and a No. 3 ranking. In the process, he put up 2,055 rushing yards, becoming just the fourth player in college football history to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark.
This led to Salaam being selected 21st overall by the Chicago Bears in 1995, where he tallied over 1,000 yards as a rookie.