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Former Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman has died aged 31.
Hillman’s family announced his death late Wednesday night. The family said in a statement earlier this week that Hillman was diagnosed with renal cord cancer in August and was in hospice care in Atlanta. The statement said through TMZ that it is a “rare but highly aggressive neoplasmic form of cancer that primarily affects young African Americans with sickle cell signs.”
Hillman was selected in the third round by the Broncos in 2012 and spent four years with the team before ending his career with a year-long split between the Vikings and the Chargers. Hillman was part of Denver’s Super Bowl 50 championship team while with the Broncos and led the team in the 2015 regular season with 863 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
He had 494 carries for 1,976 yards and 12 touchdowns and 74 catches for 524 yards and a touchdown in 56 regular season games of his career. He also had 56 carries for 145 yards and four catches for 27 yards in the postseason.
Our condolences go out to Hillman’s family, friends and loved ones on their loss.