Due to an Injury, OJ Murdock had never played in the NFL. When he failed to report to Tennessee Titans training camp last week, Titans head coach said “He had some personal things come up.” last Saturday. Then Tampa police released a report saying O.J. Murdock had killed himself Monday morning in front of the Tampa, Florida, high school where he was a track and football star.
Murdock, who was only 25 had never played a game in the NFL because of an injury he has sustained after signing as an undrafted player a year ago.
Titans head coach Mike Munchak, in his daily briefing with reporters Saturday, was asked why Murdock, a wide receiver, had not reported to training camp. “He had some personal things come up,” Munchak said.
“He called us, and we’re hoping to see him tonight.” Murdock was placed on the “did not report” list over the weekend, but he was still on the roster, team spokesman Robbie Bohren said Monday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they try to cope with this tragedy,” the team statement said.
A Tampa police officer found Murdock “in his car in front of Middleton High School with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound” at 8:30 a.m. Monday, a police statement said.
He passed away two hours later at Tampa General Hospital, police said. Murdock was ranked among the top football players in Florida and the nation in 2005 when he was a senior at Middleton High School, according to his biography on the Titans website. He was also a star sprinter on his school’s track team.
His college career started at the University of South Carolina, but he transferred to Fort Hays State after playing in just four games as a freshman and being redshirted. He then moved to Pearl River Community College, where he was a criminal justice major.
