Former Ohio State defensive end Mike Kudla has died at 34.
The school district where he played in high school said Monday on Twitter that he died Sunday. The cause was not disclosed.
Kudla was an All-Big Ten defensive end and the Buckeyes’ most valuable player on defense in 2005. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent but injuries cut short his career.
He later was the managing director of development for Ohio State’s business school and owned a company that builds medical facilities.
Highland Local Schools in Medina, south of Cleveland, said Kudla had been working with the NFL on protocols for CTE, the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
The Highland Local School District released the following statement on Monday following his death.
