Heisman Trophy Winner Rashaan Salaam’s Death Ruled a Suicide

Back on December 9, 2016, Heisman Trophy winner and former Chicago Bears player, Rashaan Salaam was found dead in Boulder, Colorado. He was 42-years-old when he passed and it was clear that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The Boulder Colorado Coroner’s Office confirms that the death was a suicide.

At the time of the NFL player‘s death, the authorities said that there were no signs of foul play and suspected that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. Salaam was found near his girlfriend’s car and had an alcohol concentration of .250 and signs of marijuana in his blood.

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Salaam did have a history of depression and drug used. His depression, as well as his current life stresses,could have lead to his suicide. Back in 1999, Salaam spoke about his marijuana use and how it made him a different person. He said that it made him less outgoing. It made him an outcast. So, he stopped smoking.

There are also speculations that after his many years of playing football that Salaam suffered from head and brain injuries. However, due to his and his families religious beliefs, the autopsy cannot test for such issues.

Salaam won his Heisman trophy back in 1994 when he played for the Buffaloes to a win in the Fiesta Bowl. After that, he made a career in the NFL playing for teams such as the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns before injuries forced him to retire.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.

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[H/T AP, Us Weekly]