Former NFL defensive end Josh Mauro has died, his family announced via Facebook on Tuesday, April 28. He was 35.
No cause of death was immediately revealed.
“With many tears and broken hearts, yet anchored in the unshakable certainty that our precious Josh Mauro is now healed and made new — living in the presence of the Lord — we humbly covet your prayers as our family walks through the devastating loss of our amazing son, brother, uncle, grandson and friend,” the family’s statement began. “On Thursday, April 23rd, Josh breathed his last breath on this earth and his first breath in heaven.”
The post concluded, “The Lord has been our strength in this unimaginable moment. Your prayers for continued strength and comfort mean more to us than words could ever express.”
Mauro played eight seasons in the NFL for five different teams. He went undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Stanford University, but signed with the Arizona Cardinals to start his rookie season.
Mauro tallied 130 total tackles in his career with five sacks and two forced fumbles. After spending time with the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, he returned to the Cardinals in 2020 for his final two seasons.
Though he was an NFL journeyman, Mauro made an impact on his peers in the league. In 2019, his lone season with the Raiders, fellow defensive end Arden Key compared him to the team’s defensive line coach, Brentson Buckner.
“He’s a second coach besides Buck,” Key, 29, told the San Francisco Chronicle at the time. “He’s been with Buck, so he kind of knows the language.”
At the same time, Mauro said he was simply doing his job.
“First, second down, I want to stop the run on the edge or anywhere across the line,” he said. “On third down, if I get the opportunity to move inside and rush, collapse the pocket a little, stopping the run and rushing the passer go hand in hand. You don’t have a team of great pass rushers that don’t stop the run.”
Mauro’s death comes just two weeks after his former Cardinals teammate Chris Payton-Jones unexpectedly died in a car accident at age 30.
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Payton-Jones’ car was struck by a pickup truck on a Florida highway on April 12, causing it to overturn and catch fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The cornerback had just finished his third season in the United Football League and his second with the St. Louis Battlehawks.
“The United Football League is in mourning after the tragic passing of former St. Louis Battlehawks Defensive Back Chris Payton-Jones,” the league said in a statement shared via social media the next day. “Chris was a beloved teammate and leader in the locker room, who demonstrated the importance of hard work, determination, and resilience throughout his career.”
