Former NFL Player Shane Olivea's Cause of Death Revealed
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New details are still emerging about NFL player Shane Olivea‘s death.
According to documents obtained by E! News on June 21, the 40-year-old San Diego Chargers star died from "hypertensive heart disease," with the contributory cause of death attributed to "obesity." The former athlete's manner of death has been ruled as natural.
Olivea passed away on March 2, with the NFL team confirming his death in a statement the following day.
The team paid tribute to the former lineman by recalling when Olivea was first selected to join the Chargers and sharing the legacy he leaves behind.
"Olivea was selected by the Chargers in the seventh round (No. 209 overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft after a standout collegiate career at Ohio State," the March 3 statement read. "He played four seasons in San Diego, starting in 57 of 60 games played."
The team's message continued, "In 2006, Olivea was an integral piece of an offensive line that helped Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson break the NFL's single-season touchdown record."
After four years with the Chargers, Olivea was discharged due to a painkiller addiction, according to AP News. Once he left rehab, he joined the New York Giants, with a back injury ultimately cutting his time with the team short.
Following Olivea's death, many NFL players took to social media and paid tribute to the player.
Bobby Carpenter, former NFL linebacker for teams like the Dallas Cowboys, tweeted on March 3, "Woke to the sobering news that @OhioStateFB lost a great one this morning. Shane Olivea passed last night."
Carpenter added, "I'll never forget the kindness he showed to a young freshman who was clueless and didn't know anything about anything. #RIPShane #Thankyou."
The vice president of the NFL, Roman Oben, shared photos of Olivea on the field in his Chargers uniform, tweeting: "Very sad to hear the news of my former teammate Shane Olivea. Praying for his family today."
