The family of Ronnie Hillman, a former running back who was part of the Denver Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50, has announced that he passed away at the age of 31.
Hillman was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer called renal medullary carcinoma in August and had been receiving hospice care. His family posted on his Instagram account that he died surrounded by loved ones.
Hillman had a successful career at San Diego State and was selected by the Broncos in the third round of the 2012 draft.
He went on to play for the Minnesota Vikings and the Chargers and ran for a total of 1,976 yards and 12 touchdowns over the course of his 56-game career.
In 2015, Hillman led the Broncos in rushing with 863 yards during the regular season and participated in their victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, though he had no yards on five carries in the game.
The Broncos released a statement expressing their condolences and describing Hillman as “soft-spoken with a warm smile and quiet intensity” and a “dynamic player and well-respected teammate.”
Hillman’s family stated that his form of cancer primarily affects young African Americans with sickle cell trait and unfortunately, treatment was not successful.