In incredibly sad news, the Denver Post is reporting that Broncos receiver Kenny McKinley has committed suicide.
Authorities were called to McKinley’s home in central Centennial at approximately 3:25 p.m. to investigate a possible suicide. Officers discovered McKinley’s body in a second-floor bedroom with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
He was 23 and is survived by a young son.
“Kenny had a promising future on the football field, but more important, he was a great teammate whose smile and personality could light up the room,” coach Josh McDaniels said in a statement Monday night. “This is a tragic loss for our football team, and his family is in all of our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
“He was one of the funniest guys I knew,” former Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley said. “Everything he said and everything he did was funny. That was his personality — he was always happy. A lot of people say that about people that passed, but that’s the truth. He was always a happy, funny guy. That’s what makes this so devastating.”
“Kenny had a big heart, a love for life. It’s just very shocking,” said Andrew Bondarowicz, his agent. “These guys, they’re made of steel on the outside. But for a lot of them, the challenge of being at your best and living up to all the expectations is a difficult situation. Some people are better equipped and have the support system.”
This just goes to show you that you never know what someone is dealing with in their personal life. My heart goes out to McKinley’s family and most of all, his young son.
As the Post points out, the Broncos are no strangers to tragedy. In January of 2007, cornerback Darrent Williams was shot during a drive-by shooting, while running back Damien Nash collapsed suddenly following a celebrity charity basketball game in February of that same year.
The Broncos have certainly gone through a lot over the past four years.
