Former NFL wide receiver Devon Wylie, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans, died at 35 years old, his family announced Monday.
A cause of death was not given.
“We wanted to make this post so people who knew and loved Devon could learn of his passing because we don’t have the capacity to reach out to everyone in this hard time,” the post said, according to a report.
“There are no words to express the sadness that comes from losing a brother, dear friend and an amazing uncle. Devon had so much love and joy to give. Always making people laugh and entertaining us with his football skills, guitar jams, silly jokes and voices, back-flip tricks, fun banter Star Wars obsession chat, Halo nights and not to mention his beautiful smile. We will miss him always.”
Wylie was a star at Granite Bay High School in California and played at Fresno State from 2007-11, with 56 receptions in 13 games in his senior season.
Wylie also led the Western Athletic Conference with 15.38 yards per punt return and returned two for touchdowns against No. 10 Nebraska and No. 5 Boise State.
He also had four punt returns for 54 yards in the East-West Shrine Bowl, the college football All-Star game.
He was selected by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2012 draft.
“He showed some pretty good quickness and things as far as catching the ball goes,” Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel said. “What he was advertised as, it showed. I mean, he has really good quickness and he runs really good routes. I think he’ll be able to get a step on defenders and have a chance to make plays.”
Wylie caught six passes in six games for Kansas City but was released prior to the start of the 2013 season.
He played in two games with the Titans in 2013 but spent most of the next three seasons with practice squads of more than a half-dozen teams.
Wylie last played professional football in 2017 when he was in the CFL and had recently pursued a music career.
“RIP Devon Wylie,” Barstool Fresno State tweeted. “One of the best if not the best special team return player to come out of Fresno State. Prayers to the entire Wylie family and the entire red wave. This one hurts.”