Sean Dawkins, a former wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts and inductee into the collegiate football hall of fame, passed away. He was 52.
The loss of a superstar in football is being lamented.
A representative for Cal Athletics confirmed to E! News that Sean Dawkins, a cherished University of California, Berkeley alumnus who played nine seasons in the NFL, had passed away. He was 52.
According to a Cal Athletics news release, heart arrest was the reason of Dawkins’ demise.
The Indianapolis Colts selected the wide receiver in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft, which marked the start of his professional career. He assisted in advancing the group to the AFC Championship game two years later, but the Colts ultimately fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Before his football career came to an end in 2002, Dawkins played for the New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Minnesota Vikings after leaving the Colts in 1997. According to Cal Athletics, he then relocated to Sacramento, California, and began a career in real estate.
Dawkins’ contributions to the university’s football program led to his induction into the Berkeley hall of fame in 2005. Following his passing, his former teammates from college, including Dave Barr, who told Sports Illustrated that “his talent was undeniable,” shared their memories of the late Cal standout.
Fellow teammate Mike Pawlawski added, “Sean knew that he was going to beat anybody he lined up against. His personality fit our team perfectly. It wasn’t in a hubris way as much as it was a self-belief. He was such a fantastic teammate. I do not have one negative story about Sean Dawkins.”
In addition, Colts owner Jim Irsay mourned Dawkins.
“Rest in peace, Sean Dawkins,” he wrote on Twitter. “I am shocked and saddened. My prayers and condolences to Sean’s family.”
Dawkins is survived by his wife Sachiko and his three kids, twin boys Luke and Kameron, and daughter, Ella.
“Sean was the center of our universe,” Sachiko said in the Cal Athletics news release. “He was an incredible father and husband.”