FROM Italian soccer star Gianluca Vialli to Ken Block, Ryan Mallett, The Iron Sheik, and 17-year-old Magnus White, fans have had to mourn the loss of several beloved sports stars.
As the year comes to an end, we take a look at all the stars who have passed away.
100
Which sports stars have died in 2023?
January
Ken Block
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Ken Block was best known as a professional rally driver and co-founder of DC Shoes.
He passed away on January 2, 2023, in Utah at the age of 55 after sustaining injuries in a snowmobile accident.
Nate Colbert
100
Nate Colbert was a professional baseball player arguably best known for his time with the San Diego Padres.
He passed away on January 5, 2023, at the age of 76 from an unknown cause.
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Gianluca Vialli
100
Gianluca Vialli was an iconic soccer player and manager who played as a striker.
He passed away on January 6, 2023, at the age of 58 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Jorge Ballesteros
100
Jorge Ballesteros was a professional sport shooter from Spain best known for winning the gold medal overall in the Open division at the 2017 IPSC Handgun World Shoot.
He passed away on January 10, 2023, at the age of 39 after suffering a gunshot wound to the head, according to TMZ.
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Charles White
100
Charles White was a professional football player who played in the NFL for nine seasons.
The Heisman Trophy winner died on January 11, 2023, at the age of 64 after a battle with cancer.
Hunter Brown
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Hunter Brown was best known as an offensive lineman at the Air Force Academy.
He passed away on January 11, 2023, at the age of 21 after suffering a "medical emergency" on the way to class, according to ABC News.
Robbie Knievel
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Robbie Knievel was an iconic stunt performer who followed in the footsteps of his father, Evel Knievel.
He passed away on January 13, 2023, at the age of 60 after a battle with cancer.
Gino Odjick
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Gino Odjick was a professional ice hockey left winger who played in the NHL from 1990 to 2002 on various teams, including the Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers.
He passed away on January 15, 2023, at the age of 52 from a heart attack.
Chris Ford
100
Chris Ford was a professional basketball player and coach known for his career with the Boston Celtics.
He passed away on January 17, 2023, at the age of 74 after suffering a heart attack.
Jay Briscoe
100
Jamin Pugh, better known by his ring name Jay Briscoe, was a professional wrestler who competed alongside his brother, Mark Briscoe.
He passed away on January 17, 2023, at the age of 38 after sustaining injuries in a car accident.
Anton Walkes
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Anton Walkes was an English soccer player for Charlotte FC.
He passed away on January 19, 2023, at the age of 25 after sustaining injuries in a boating accident.
Bill Schonely
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Bill "The Schonz" Schonely was a sports broadcaster best known as the play-by-play announcer for the Portland Trail Blazers.
He passed away on January 21, 2023, at the age of 93 from an unknown cause.
Jessie Lemonier
100
Jessie Lemonier was a former NFL linebacker who played for the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions.
He passed away on January 26, 2023, at the age of 25 from an unknown cause.
Billy Packer
100
Billy Packer was a college basketball player, sportscaster, and author.
He passed away on January 26, 2023, at the age of 82 from kidney failure.
Kyle Smaine
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Kyle Smaine was a freestyle skier who won a gold medal in halfpipe at the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships 2015.
He died in an avalanche in Japan on January 29, 2023, at the age of 31.
Bobby Hull
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Bobby Hull was a Canadian ice hockey player known for his extensive career with the Chicago Blackhawks organization.
The Stanley Cup champion passed away on January 30, 2023, at the age of 84 from an unknown cause.
February
Stanley Wilson Jr
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Stanley Wilson Jr. was a professional football player known for his career with the Detroit Lions.
He passed away on February 1, 2023, at the age of 40 while in police custody on vandalism charges, according to Fox News. At this time, his exact cause of death is unclear.
Lanny Poffo
100
Lanny Poffo was a wrestler, motivational speaker, poet, and actor, who often went by the ring names "Leaping Lanny" and "The Genius."
He passed away on February 2, 2023, at the age of 68 from heart failure.
Volkan Kahraman
100
Volkan Kahraman was a famous Austrian soccer player and manager.
He was shot to death on February 8, 2023, in a murder-suicide at the age of 43.
Elena Fanchini
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Elena Fanchini was an Italian World Cup alpine ski racer.
She passed away on February 8, 2023, at the age of 37 after a battle with cancer.
Conrad Dobler
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Conrad Dobler was a professional football player known for his career with the Arizona Cardinals.
He passed away on February 13, 2023, at the age of 72 from an unknown cause.
Dickie Davies
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Dickie Davies was a British television sports presenter who famously anchored World of Sport from 1968 until 1985.
He passed away on February 19, 2023, at the age of 94 from an unknown cause.
Ryan Keeler
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Ryan Keeler was a college football player at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
He passed away on February 20, 2023, at the age of 20 from an unknown cause.
Christian Atsu
100
Christian Atsu was a Ghanaian soccer player who played for several English clubs.
He died in a Turkey earthquake sometime in February 2023.
March
Jerry Richardson
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Jerry Richardson was a former football player who famously founded the Carolina Panthers.
He passed away on March 1, 2023, at the age of 86 from an unknown cause.
Ben Siegfried
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Ben Siegfried was a former college football player turned XFL athletic trainer.
He passed away on March 9, 2023, at the age of 22 from an unknown cause.
Otis Taylor
100
Otis Taylor was a professional football player known for his career with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He passed away on March 9, 2023, at the age of 80 after a battle with Parkinson's disease and dementia, according to ESPN.
Dick Haley
100
Dick Haley was a professional football player known for his career with the Washington Redskins, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He passed away on March 10, 2023, at the age of 85 from an unknown cause.
Bud Grant
100
Bud Grant was a former football player and coach known for his career with the Minnesota Vikings.
He passed away on March 11, 2023, at the age of 95 from an unknown cause.
Joe Pepitone
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Joe Pepitone was a professional baseball first baseman and outfielder who played for the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Braves from 1962 to 1973.
He passed away on March 13, 2023, at the age of 82 from an unknown cause.
Willis Reed
100
Willis Reed was a famed NBA player, coach, and general manager who spent his entire career with the New York Knicks.
He passed away on March 21, 2023, at the age of 80 from an unknown cause.
Bill Leavy
100
Bill Leavy was a legendary NFL official who officiated in the league from 1995 to 2014.
He passed away on March 28, 2023, at the age of 76 from an unknown cause.
April
Robert Miller
100
Robert Miller was a professional wrestler known by the ring name Bushwhacker Butch.
The WWE Hall of Famer passed away on April 2, 2023, at the age of 78 after an illness.
Raymond Sawada
100
Raymond Sawada was a Canadian hockey player known for his career with the Dallas Stars.
He passed away on April 10, 2023, at the age of 38 after suffering a heart attack during a recreational game.
Craig Breen
100
Craig Breen was an Irish rally driver known for competing in the World Rally Championship.
He passed away on April 13, 2023, at the age of 33 after a fatal crash.
Chris Smith
100
Chris Smith was a former football defensive end who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and the XFL's Seattle Sea Dragons.
He passed away on April 17, 2023, at the age of 31 from an unknown cause.
Jeremy Nobis
100
Jeremy Nobis was an alpine skier who represented Team USA at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
He passed away on April 19, 2023, at the age of 52 from an unknown cause.
Dick Groat
100
Dick Groat was an eight-time All-Star shortstop who had stints with the Pirates, Cardinals, Phillies, and Giants.
He passed away on April 27, 2023, at the age of 92 after suffering complications from a stroke.
May
Tori Bowie
100
Tori Bowie was an Olympic track and field athlete who won the silver medal in the 100m and bronze in the 200m while representing Team USA at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
She passed away on May 2, 2023, at the age of 32 after suffering complications from childbirth.
Michael Geller
100
Michael "Micky" Geller was a champion waterskier at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
He passed away on May 6, 2023, at the age of 18 from an unknown cause.
Vida Blue
100
Vida Blue was a professional baseball player known for his career with the Oakland Athletics.
The three-time World Series champion passed away on May 6, 2023, at the age of 73 from an unknown cause.
Joe Kapp
100
Joe Kapp was a football player, coach, and, executive known for playing as a quarterback at the University of California, Berkeley.
He passed away on May 8, 2023, at the age of 85 after a "15-year battle with dementia," according to ESPN.
Denny Crum
100
Denny Crum was a men's college basketball coach at the University of Louisville from 1971 to 2001 who won two NCAA championships and made six Final Four appearances.
He passed away on May 9, 2023, at the age of 86 from an unknown cause.
Marlene Hagge
100
Marlene Hagge was a professional golfer who co-founded the LPGA in 1950.
The World Golf Hall of Famer passed away on May 16, 2023, at the age of 89 from an unknown cause.
Billy Graham
100
Eldridge Wayne Coleman was a professional wrestler who went by the ring name "Superstar" Billy Graham.
He passed away on May 17, 2023, at the age of 79 after a series of health issues.
Jim Brown
100
Jim Brown was a football fullback, civil rights activist, and actor who famously played for the Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965.
He passed away on May 18, 2023, at the age of 87 from an unknown cause.
Rick Hoyt
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Rick Hoyt was a beloved Boston Marathon participant who competed in over 1,000 road races using a wheelchair that his late father, Dick Hoyt, pushed.
He passed away on May 22, 2023, at the age of 61 after suffering “complications with his respiratory system," according to his family.
Jaden Hullaby
100
Jaden Hullaby was a former college football player who played at the University of Texas and the University of New Mexico.
He passed away in May 2023 at the age of 21 from an unknown cause.
Malik Gant
100
Malik Gant was a professional football player known for his career with the New England Patriots.
The former Mashall University player was found in Miami on May 25, 2023, just days before his 26th birthday, but at this time, his cause of death is unclear.
June
Jim Hines
100
Jim Hines was a track and field athlete who became the first man to run the 100m in under 10 seconds.
He passed away on June 3, 2023, at the age of 76 from an unknown cause.
Pat Casey
100
Pat Casey was a three-time X Games BMX medalist.
He passed away on June 6, 2023, at the age of 29 while performing a stunt on the ramps at the Slayground Motocross Park in Ramona, California.
Iron Sheik
100
Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri was an Iranian-American professional wrestler known by the ring name, The Iron Sheik.
He passed away on June 7, 2023, at the age of 81 from an unknown cause.
Akeem Hebron
100
Akeem Hebron was a former college football player at the University of Georgia.
He passed away unexpectedly on June 11, 2023, at the age of 34 from an unknown cause.
Patrick Gasienica
100
Patrick Gasienica was a ski jumper who competed for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
He passed away on June 12, 2023, at the age of 24 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle accident, according to The Daily Herald.
Ray Lewis III
100
Ray Lewis III was a college football star best known as the son of legendary Baltimore Ravens player Ray Lewis.
He passed away on June 15, 2023, at the age of 28 from an accidental drug overdose, according to the New York Post.
Clark Haggans
100
Clark Haggans was an outside linebacker in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, and San Francisco 49ers.
He passed away on June 19, 2023, at the age of 46 from an unknown cause.
Cedric Killings
100
Cedric Killings was a former NFL defensive tackle who was forced to retire in 2007 after suffering a fractured C-4 vertebra with the Houston Texans.
He passed away on June 21, 2023, at the age of 45 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Ryan Mallett
100
Ryan Mallett was an NFL quarterback for the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens from 2011 to 2017.
The former Arkansas Razorback passed away suddenly on June 27, 2023, at the age of 35 in an apparent drowning accident in Florida.
July
Vince Tobin
100
Vince Tobin was a professional football coach best known for his career with the Arizona Cardinals.
The former head coach passed away on July 3, 2023, at the age of 79 from an unknown cause.
Fred Willis
100
Fred Willis was a professional football player who spent six NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Oilers.
He passed away on July 4, 2023, at the age of 75 from an unknown cause.
Johnie Cooks
100
Johnie Cooks was a professional football player who spent 10 seasons in the NFL after a successful career at Mississippi State.
He passed away on July 6, 2023, at the age of 64 from an unknown cause.
Nikki McCray
100
Nikki McCray-Penson was a professional basketball player and coach who spent eight seasons in the WNBA.
She passed away on July 7, 2023, at the age of 51 from an unknown cause.
Mikala Jones
100
Mikala Jones was a Hawaiian professional surfer born in 1979.
He passed away on July 9, 2023, at the age of 44 after he reportedly severed his femoral artery while surfing in the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia.
Mike Halac
100
Mike "Mantaur" Halac was a professional wrestler known for his career with WWE.
He passed away on July 11, 2023, at the age of 55 from an unknown cause.
Danielle Ballard
100
Danielle Ballard was a former college basketball star known for her career at LSU.
She passed away on July 13, 2023, at the age of 29 after being hit by a car in Memphis, Tennessee.
Gustavo Badell
100
Gustavo Badell was a Venezuelan-born Puerto Rican bodybuilder known by the nickname, The Freakin' 'Rican.
He passed away on July 13, 2023, at the age of 50 from an unknown cause.
Cody Ince
100
Cody Ince was a former NCAA offensive lineman known for his career with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
He passed away on July 15, 2023, at the age of 23 from an unknown cause.
Magnus White
100
Magnus White was a member of USA Cycling's junior men's national team.
He passed away on July 30, 2023, at the age of 17 after being struck by a car while riding in his hometown of Boulder, Colorado.
August
Alex Collins
100
Alex Collins was a football running back who played for the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens.
He passed away on August 13, 2023, at the age of 28 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash in Florida.
Rodion Amirov
100
Rodion Amirov was a top Russian ice hockey prospect for the Toronto Maple Leafs who was drafted 15th overall in 2020.
He passed away on August 14, 2023, at the age of 21 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Rick Jeanneret
Rick Jeanneret was a Canadian television and radio personality best known for being the play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Sabres.
He passed away on August 17, 2023, at the age of 81 “after a two-year battle with multi-organ failures."
Terry Funk
100
Terry Funk was a professional wrestler known for his 50-year career in the industry.
He passed away on August 23, 2023, at the age of 79 from an unknown cause.
Bray Wyatt
100
Bray Wyatt was a professional wrestler known for his tenure in WWE.
He passed away unexpectedly on August 24, 2023, at the age of 36 from a reported heart attack.
September
Mike Williams
100
Mike Williams was a former NFL wide receiver known for his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills.
He passed away on September 12, 2023, at the age of 36 after sustaining injuries in a construction accident, according to ESPN.
Buddy Teevens
100
Buddy Teevens was a former college football quarterback turned coach, known for his time at Dartmouth College.
He passed away on September 19, 2023, at the age of 66 after sustaining injuries in a cycling accident months prior.
Nic Kerdiles
100
Nic Kerdiles was a professional ice hockey forward known for his time with the Anaheim Ducks.
He passed away on September 23, 2023, at the age of 29 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle accident.
Chris Snow
100
Chris Snow was the general manager for the Calgary Flames of the NHL.
He passed away on September 30, 2023, at the age of 42 from ALS complications.
Tim Wakefield
100
Tim Wakefield was a former baseball pitcher who spent 19 seasons in the MLB.
The former Boston Red Sox star passed away on October 1, 2023, at the age of 57 after a battle with brain cancer.
Dick Butkus
100
Dick Butkus was a football linebacker and sports commentator who famously played for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1973.
He passed away on October 5, 2023, at the age of 80 of natural causes.
Andy Bean
100
Andy Bean was a professional golfer known for his career on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.
He passed away on October 14, 2023, at the age of 70 after suffering complications from a double-lung replacement surgery.
Bobby Charlton
100
Bobby Charlton was a professional soccer from England who famously played on the 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning team.
He passed away on October 21, 2023, at the age of 86 from dementia.
Betsy Rawls
100
Betsy Rawls was a professional golfer who won 55 LPGA Tour career events.
She passed away on October 21, 2023, at the age of 95 from an unknown cause.
Adam Johnson
100
Adam Johnson was a former NHL player who played 13 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He passed away on October 28, 2023, at the age of 29 after suffering a neck injury while playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League.
November
Bob Knight
100
Bob Knight was a men's college basketball coach who won 902 NCAA Division I games.
He passed away on November 1, 2023, at the age of 83 from an unknown cause.
Matt Ulrich
100
Matt Ulrich was a former offensive guard for the Indianapolis Colts.
The Super Bowl XLI champion passed away on November 8, 2023, at the age of 41 from an unknown cause.
D. J. Hayden
100
D. J. Hayden was a former cornerback known for his career with the Oakland Raiders.
He passed away, alongside former University of Houston football players Zach McMillian and Ralph Oragwu, on November 11, 2023, at the age of 33 after sustaining injuries in a car accident in Houston, Texas.
Kyle LeDuc
100
Kyle LeDuc was a professional racing driver known for competing in short-course off-road truck races.
He passed away on November 11, 2023, at the age of 42 after a battle with cancer.
Roman Čechmánek
100
Roman Čechmánek was a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender who spent four years in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings.
He passed away on November 12, 2023, at the age of 52 from an unknown cause.
Peter Seidler
100
Peter Seidler was best known for being the chairman and owner of the San Diego Padres.
He passed away on November 14, 2023, at the age of 63 from an unknown cause.
Willie Hernandez
100
Willie Hernandez was a Puerto Rican relief pitcher who won both the American League Cy Young Award and the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1984 following the Detroit Tigers' World Series win.
He passed away on November 20, 2023, at the age of 69 from an unknown cause.
Ryan Reed
100
Ryan Reed was a college football star at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
He passed away on November 21, 2023, at the age of 22 after collapsing during a team workout. His death was a result of an undetected genetic heart condition, according to his obituary.
December
Walt McGrory
100
Walt McGrory was a former college basketball star who played for the University of Wisconsin from 2017 to 2021.
He passed away on December 16, 2023, at the age of 24 after a battle with bone cancer.
Eric Montross
100
Eric Montross was a professional basketball player who spent eight seasons playing for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, and Toronto Raptors.
He passed away on December 17, 2023, at the age of 52 after a battle with cancer.
Ed Budde
100
Ed Budde was a former football guard who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1963 to 1976.
He passed away on December 19, 2023, at the age of 83 from natural causes.
Don Schumacher
100
Don Schumacher was a professional drag racer turned team owner.
He passed away on December 21, 2023, at the age of 79 after battling lung cancer.
Ryan Minor
100
Ryan Minor was a professional baseball player who spent four seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos.
He passed away on December 22, 2023, at the age of 49 after a battle with cancer.
Troy Dargan
100
Troy Dargan was an Australian rugby player.
He passed away on December 24, 2023, at the age of 26 after sustaining injuries in a motorbike accident.
Kurtis Chapman
100
Kurtis "Mad Kurt" Chapman was a British professional wrestler who competed in RevPro, Progress, IPW, and other minor promotions.
He passed away on December 29, 2023, at the age of 26 from an unknown cause.
Gil de Ferran
100
Gil de Ferran was a Brazilian race car driver and team owner who famously won the Indianapolis 500 in 2003.
He passed away on December 29, 2023, at the age of 56 from a heart attack.
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Cale Yarborough
100
Cale Yarborough was a Nascar driver and owner who won three consecutive championships in 1976, 1977, and 1978.
He passed away on December 31, 2023, at the age of 84 after battling a rare genetic disorder.
