Sam Bruce, a former high school football star who signed with the Miami Hurricanes football team, died this week, according to multiple reports. He was 24 years old. According to TMZ Sports, Bruce died following an accident on the road in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday night. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department said Bruce was involved in a car crash and was suffering from a seizure. Medics arrived on the scene and performed CPR on Bruce before being transported to a local hospital. He died at the hospital on Thursday morning.
“At this time,” the FLPD spokesperson said to TMZ Sports, “the circumstances surrounding this incident are not suspicious and foul play is not suspected.” Bruce played at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale from 2014 to 2015, winning back-to-back state titles before joining Miami, according to 247Sports. The football program South Florida Express paid tribute to Bruce on social media.
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“We are saddened to hear about the loss of one of the greatest players to ever come through SFE. Your infectious energy and the ability to make anybody laugh will forever live in our hearts,” South Florida Express wrote. “We spoke with Sam’s family, they just ask you to pray for their family during this time.”After Bruce signed with Miami in 2016 he wasn’t able to see any action as he was dismissed from the team midway through his freshman year after violating team rules multiple times.
“I definitely want to show not only the University of Miami, but everybody that I’m ready to play as a freshman,” Bruce told InsideTheU in June 2016. “I’m going to come in, work hard, and just be one thousand percent at everything I do. I’m here to contribute to the team any way I can whether it’s on special teams or even on defense, I don’t care. I’m just a dog ready to play.”
Bruce then signed with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in 2018 before moving to the Southern University. After his college football career, Bruce spent some time with the Frisco Fighters of the Indoor Football League. 247Sports ranked Bruce the No. 11 receiver prospect and the No. 13 overall prospect from Florida coming out of high school. His uncle is Pro Football Hall of Famer Isaac Bruce.
