Our NBC colleague and good friend Rodney Harrison, a rookie member of the Chargers’ Super Bowl team of 1994, called to advise that his former teammate, Shawn Lee, died over the weekend at the age of 44.
NBC San Diego reports that the team has confirmed Lee’s passing.
Lee is at least the sixth member of the 1994 Chargers to die entirely too young. Defensive lineman Chris Mims passed in 2008 at age 38 due to an enlarged heart. Offensive lineman Curtis Whitley died in 2008 of a drug overdose. He was 39.
Linebacker Doug Miller was struck by lightning in 1998, at age 28. Running back Rodney Culver died in a 1996 plane crash. Linebacker David Griggs perished in a 1995 car accident. He was 28.
The cause of Lee’s death has not been disclosed.
We send our condolences to Lee’s family, friends, teammates, and coaches.
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wow!
RIP
You are never too old to live
or
Too young to die
RIP May God’s Spirit comfort all the family and friends
I feel extra bad here. I just called my friend (Shawn’s cousin) to offer my condolences and he didn’t even know. Soooo, I was the bearer of band news… not good.
Hope this wasn’t another suicide
What are the chances of being struck by lightning when you were a San Diego Charger? Pretty slim, I’d say.
Google “Steelers and steroids” some time.
It is what is is.
Griggs and Lee were Dolphins too I believe
Very, very sad however – not surprising. Many begin “juicing” their bodies in college to get drafted and get huge contracts.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to tell that today’s elite college athletes are completely juiced on HGH. Just watch them on TV. Look at their speed, their strength and their rippling/bulging muscles.
Get used to this kind of story. The NFL does not test blood for HGH because the union won’t allow it. If this keeps up, which it will, there won’t be a strong union because most of the players that make up the union will be dead of the effects of HGH.
Just heard from the family. Shawn Lee had been living in Raleigh, NC. Pending autopsy, he was diabetic and could have died from complications from diabetes.
thetooloftools says:
Feb 28, 2011 6:43 PM
Google “Steelers and steroids” some time.
It is what is is.
++++++++
Shawn Lee never took steroids, he barely worked out. He was just a naturally strong big clogger in the middle of the line. When he was in shape he weighed 330, I just heard a recent guess that he was over 400.
2011to2020lions says:
Feb 28, 2011 6:20 PM
RIP May God’s Spirit comfort all the family and friends
________________________________
Really? 4 people gave that thumbs down?
Thank you brasho for confirming that my cousin didn’t use steroids. It is sad that people assume things about people without knowing them. He was ill. He passed. We are mourning.
Damn, I didn’t realize Griggs was a Charger, I knew he was drafted by Miami. I actually used to sit next to him in study hall in high school. I guess a lot can happen in 17 years. RIP Shawn
thetooloftools says:
Feb 28, 2011 6:43 PM
Google “Steelers and steroids” some time.
It is what is is.
————————————-
Google “first NFL team ever to use steroids” and you’ll get the 1963 San Diego Chargers.
It totally is what it is, chum.
P.S. Better learn your ‘roid history before you go out-of-nowhere dragging in another team, for no good reason.
That’s a scary number of deceased from a single draft class! A young one at least… Weird.