Former Super Bowl champion Charles Johnson’s death was ruled a suicide by an apparent drug overdose, according to a report from the North Carolina medical examiner’s office.
Johnson, a former first-round draft pick who won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2001, was found dead in a hotel room near his Raleigh home on July 17, 2022.
“The only personal items in the hotel room appeared to be two empty bottles of water, an empty travel (sized) bottle of body lotion, an empty travel container, a pair or sandals and a pair of eyeglasses,” the report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh said, according to USA Today.
“A query of the North Carolina Prescription Monitoring Service showed no active prescriptions. An old (2018) short-term hydrocodone prescription was documented,” it added.
Raleigh police officers found Johnson when the hotel placed a call for a welfare check after he did not check out on July 17. Johnson reserved the room on July 15, returned home, and then came back to the hotel without his wallet, cell phone, or keys. His car was also left at his home.
Johnson, 50, had been reported missing by his wife, Tanisha, one day earlier. The report also noted that in the week prior to his death that he had been “acting strange” and had recently purchased a funeral and cremation service.
The former NFL star suffered multiple injuries during his nine years as a player that reportedly left him unable to play football, USA Today reported concerning documents filed as part of a workers compensation case in California. The Steelers disputed his claims but agreed to pay $150,000 in 2013 to settle the case, per the report.
Johnson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Colorado in the first round as the overall number 17 pick in 1994, CBS 17 noted. The wide receiver also played with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills.
During his five seasons with the Steelers, Johnson finished 10th in the league in yards per reception (16.8) and led the team in receiving yards (1,008) in his third year. He ranks 16th all-time among Steelers receivers, according to the New York Post.
The former NFL athlete was serving as a coach at Heritage High School in Wake Forest, North Carolina, at the time of his death.
“RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family,” the school tweeted following the news.
RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family. #RIPCJ #HuskyFamily pic.twitter.com/JUfkjELMMB
— Heritage Huskies (@heritagehsfball) July 19, 2022
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).