Terry Beasley cause of death: How did the Auburn legend die?

Legendary Auburn Tigers wide receiver Terry Beasley died on Wednesday evening at 73.

Beasley reportedly died at his Moody home. His death is being investigated as a possible suicide, according to Moody Police Chief Reece Smith.

“Officers were dispatched to his residence around 5:20pm tonight," Smith said. "He was found deceased inside the residence from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. This case is still under investigation and our thoughts are with the Beasley family at this time.”

Ryan Wood of the Opelia-Auburn News wrote in a 2013 article that Beasley was dealing with CTE.

“Doctors told him his brain looks like Swiss cheese. Each concussion punctured a hole," Wood's story read.

In his football career, Beasley is believed to have suffered at least 19 concussions.

The investigation is still ongoing into Beasley's death.

Terry Beasley's college career

Terry Beasley joined Auburn in 1968 as a freshman before graduating to the varsity team in 1969.

In his sophomore season, Beasley recorded 34 receptions for 610 yards and six touchdowns. He followed that up with 52 receptions for 1,051 yards and 11 touchdowns in his junior year, catching passes from quarterback Pat Sullivan.

The Sullivan-to-Beasley connection is considered one of college football's best pass combinations.

“He was way ahead of his time,” Sullivan once said of Beasley, via AL.com. “He was as fast as anyone playing the game. But the thing that really set him apart was that he was awfully, awfully, strong.”

Beasley finished his college career with 2,507 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. He still holds Auburn's record for consecutive games with a touchdown catch (8), 100-yard receiving games in a season (6) and a career (12). He held the program's career receptions record with 141 for 27 seasons until Karsten Bailey broke it in 1998.

After his college career, Beasley was drafted in the first round of the 1972 NFL draft. However, he played just three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and was forced to retire due to injuries.

Beasley's #88 is retired by Auburn.