Photo: MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty
Retired San Francisco 49ers player Greg Clark has died unexpectedly at the age of 49.
“It is with great sadness we announce the unexpected passing of Greg Clark, 49, cherished husband, father, son, brother, and friend to so many,” the familystatementsaid, per NBC Sports reporter Matt Maiocco.
It continued, “Greg was a dedicated family man who was successful at everything he did, from his academic and athletic achievements as a Stanford scholar athlete to his role as tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, to the creation of a successful real estate platform throughout the bay area.”
“Most importantly, he was a cherished and dedicated father of three sons, and a loving husband to his wife of 23 years. His recent suffering from CTE symptoms cannot extinguish the breadth of his impact on us and others and we are forever grateful for the time we have had with him. It is our hope that through further research we can gain more knowledge surrounding CTE,” the statement concluded.
“Our organization is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Greg Clark,” the team said in astatementFriday, according to Maiocco. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”
In an interview withMercury News, former 49ers quarterback Steve Young called his old teammate “a phenomenal human being.”
“He was a phenomenal human being, with a burgeoning family, and I just feel terrible about the suffering he must have felt,” Young said.
“Greg was a great player. He was tough. A great teammate and a great 49er,” he added. “And he’s gone way too early. It’s just devastating.”
NFL star Todd Husak, who also played at Stanford,addedon Twitter, “So sad to lose a former teammate and a great man in Greg Clark. To Anyone who needs help, it’s out there. Please reach out to loved ones and let them know you care.”
source: people.com
