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The football world was shocked when Ryan Keeler, a UNLV football player, abruptly passed away in Las Vegas on Monday, February 20.
Keeler, who was 20 at the time, was in high demand and received numerous scholarship offers right out of high school. He majored in business and had a 3.80 GPA.
UNLV Ryan Keeler recently ended his redshirt freshman season as a defensive lineman from Chicago, Illinois. The youngster made eight tackles in seven games played.
After hearing about his passing in the news, many people expressed their confusion on social media over how the 6-foot-6, 275-pound defender could have passed away so soon. To ascertain whether it was from the Covid vaccine, internet users started weaving conspiracies.
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Echoes of grief and shock reverberate as Ryan Keeler's tragic demise sends shockwaves through community
His death was announced by the institution on Instagram, which read:
"UNLV mourns the passing of Football student-athlete Ryan Keeler."
On Monday night, UNLV players from the current and past seasons sent their sympathies to Keeler's family via social media, including running back Aidan Robbins.
"Long Live Ryan Keeler gone way too soon, Love you forever brother," the former Rebels D-lineman said.
Adam Plant Jr., a teammate of Keeler's from his previous season, said he was speechless at hearing the news.
Following the tragic death of one of their athletes, UNLV's director of athletics, Erick Harper, also issued a statement. He stated:
“The UNLV family is in mourning today over the sudden loss of one of our own. Our hearts go out to all of Ryan’s family and friends along with his Rebel teammates.”
No cause of death has been disclosed as of yet. The Las Vegas Review-Journal published the initial account of his passing. According to the institution, they are coordinating with the police to "solidify the facts of this incident."
No updates on the death had appeared in the news as of the time of writing.
