A former player in the NFL has seen his life come to an end at an early age.
Cedric Killings, whose NFL career ended when he suffered a fractured vertebra as a member of the Texans kick return team in 2007, tragically died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 45.
He is survived by his wife Shavon and their three children.
“My love, my best friend, my husband of 21 years is no longer physically with me but he lives in my heart and in the hearts of our three children. I’m comforted in knowing he is resting and no longer in pain, but I’m still at a loss and can’t believe this is real,” Shavon posted on Facebook. “If you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting him then you already know how special he is. Just an all-around great person. I don’t just say this as his wife, it’s echoed by family, friends, and former teammates. It has been an honor to share life with him and to love and be loved by him. So grateful for it all. Love you for life. Our love will live strong for generations to come.”
Killings played for San Francisco, Carolina, and Washington before being picked up by the Texans in the middle of the 2006 season.
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive tackle would collide with an Indianapolis Colts player on a kickoff return and fractured his C-4 vertebrae. He lost all feeling in his arms and legs and had to be stretchered off the field. He would eventually regain feeling and movement hours later, but that would end his career.
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He played eight seasons in the NFL before suffering a career-ending injury during that 2007 game between the Texans and the Indianapolis Colts.
Killings was a three-time All-American at Division II Carson-Newman University and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2016.
