There is very sad, devastating news coming out of Colorado this evening as it’s being reported that a former South Carolina standout has passed away.
According to FOX 31 in Denver, Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley was found dead of an apparent suicide at some point Monday. McKinley was just 23 years old.
McKinley, who played in eight games last season as a rookie and was placed on injured reserve before the start of the 2010 season, was a fifth-round draft pick of the Broncos following a stellar career with the Gamecocks that saw him leave the school as the SEC’s third-leading receiver with 207 receptions. He ended his career at South Carolina as the school’s leading receiver.
South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier was told of McKinley’s death at practice and was said to be shaken. Members of the school’s support staff, Travis Haney of the Charleston Post & Courier wrote on Twitter, “are very upset”.
Spurrier, who referred to McKinley as one of his “all-time favorite Gamecocks”, said he saw McKinley at the school’s Sept. 11 game against Georgia and “he seemed to be in good spirits. Great smile, like he always had.”
“I don’t understand it, if it happened the way they say. It’s hard to comprehend,” Spurrier said.
It goes without saying that our thoughts and prayers go out to McKinley’s family, friends, former and current teammates, and anyone else affected by this tragic development.
UPDATED 10:59 p.m. ET: South Carolina has sent out a press release regarding McKinley’s passing.
Here’s Steve Spurrier‘s quote on the death of the former Gamecocks star.
“I saw him here - he came to the Georgia game. He seemed in good spirits. Great smile like he always had. I don’t understand it if it happened the way they say. It’s hard to comprehend. Kenny was certainly one of my favorite all-time players. He was a wonderful guy. It’s hard to figure out why this happened. It’s a sad day.”