Former NFL Quarterback Colt Brennan’s Cause of Death Revealed

The cause of death of former NFL and University of Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan has been revealed. According to TMZ Sports, Brennan died of an accidental drug overdose after a toxicology report found the former NFL QB had ingested fentanyl and other substances before his death. Brennan died in May at the age of 37. 

At the time of his death, Brennan was receiving treatment at a drug rehab facility in Southern California and experienced a medical emergency. He died after being rushed to the hospital. Heath officials told TMZ Sports that the death was an accident caused by a lethal concoction of drugs, including fentanyl. It was also determined that methamphetamine, amphetamine and ethanol were found in Brennan’s system. 

“He was really into it,” Terry Brennan, Colt’s father,  said of the treatment program, per ESPN. “It involved a lot of physical activity and he liked it. He was working with soldiers who had come back from Afghanistan and Iraq with similar problems. He was doing quite well with it for four months. Then something happened and he went to the dark side, and it was just not good.”  

Brennan played for the Washington Football team from 2008-2009. He was also a member of the Oakland Raiders in 2010 but didn’t and never played in any regular-season games. Brennan was drafted by Washington in the sixth round in 2008 out of Hawaii. He also played in the United Football League, Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League. 

During his time in Hawaii, Brennan won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, he was a two-time winner of Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was selected to the AP All-America Third Team twice. His most notable season was 2006 when he completed 72.6%, 5,549 yards and 58 touchdowns. Brennan holds the NCAA record for most points responsible in a season (384 in 2006). 

“It’s hard to put into words the impact that Colt Brennan had on Rainbow Warrior fans and the people of Hawai’i,” the school’s athletic department said at the time of his death. “He was a phenomenal player and provided us some of the greatest sports memories we’ll ever have. But he was more than that. For all that he accomplished on the football field and the adulation he received for it, he always remained among the people. He never turned down an autograph, he never turned down a picture with someone. He inspired everyone, from our keiki to our kupuna. He had a Warrior mentality on the field but a true aloha spirit off of it. Today is an extremely tough day.”