NFL community mourns former Buccaneers and Vikings defensive back Ronyell Whitaker, who passed away suddenly at 46.
Former NFL cornerback Ronyell Whitaker has died at the age of 46, the Minnesota Vikings shared after the Whitaker family released an announcement on Sunday.
The circumstances and cause of his death are as yet unknown.
Whitaker's death follows just days after the death on Saturday of Vikings receiver Rondale Moore, who was the victim of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at age 25.
In November, Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland was found dead of an apparent suicide. Kneeland, 24, was in his second season in the NFL.
Whitaker signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003 as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia Tech. A backup in the secondary for the "Baddest on the Planet" defense that featured future Hall-of-Famers Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber, Whitaker appeared in four late-season games -- starting in one -- as a rookie, and totaled 12 tackles (10 solo, one for a loss) and two pass defenses. He also contributed two tackles on special teams, according to a 2005 press release by the Bucs.
The 5-foot-9, 196-pound cornerback had been activated to the 53-man roster after eight weeks on the practice squad.
Whitaker spent the entirety of the 2004 season on Tampa Bay's practice squad -- a rare feat -- then was re-signed to a one-year-futures contract for 2005.
A three-year starter for the Hokies and 2001 third-team All-American, Whitaker started 32 of 43 games and finished his collegiate career with 190 tackles and seven interceptions.
The Norfolk, Virginia, native also played for the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions, and played in 2006 with the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe, where he was selected to the All-NFL Europe team. He last played professionally in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before retiring in 2010.
"While many knew him for his athletic accomplishments, those closest to him knew him best for his generous heart, unwavering loyalty and deep love for his family," the Whitaker family said in a statement released Sunday. "He was a protector, a mentor and a source of strength and laughter to all who had the blessing of knowing him."
A private businessman following his retirement from playing football, Whitaker also coached defensive backs from 2014-2018 at Chanhassen High School in suburban Minneapolis.
The news of Whitaker's death just days after the passing of Moore raises concern about issues of mental health and well-being in the ranks of NFL and college football players.
In April 2025, former LSU receiver Kyren Lacy, was found dead in Houston after an apparent suicide following an incident in which he fired a gun during what a family member called a verbal argument. Lacy, 24, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had been facing criminal charges stemming from a fatal car accident in Louisiana in December.
Lacy's father, Kenny Lacy, mourned his son in a social-media post on April 13.
"Mental Health is real, and for the most part, it's invisible, don't ignore the signs, even if they may seem small."
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