5 NFL players who were brutally shot dead 

Playing in the NFL can bring players fame and fortune. Being part of an elite group of people good enough to play in the top tier of pro football certainly puts people in the spotlight.

Unfortunately, with such fame and fortune can come great tragedy, and sadly, many of those who played in the league suffered an unfortunate fate.

Here are five NFL players who were brutally gunned down.

#1 Sean Taylor

Kansas City Chiefs v Washington Football Team

Taylor was selected in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft out of the University of Miami by Washington. In his rookie season, he finished fourth in the AP Defensive Player of the Year voting, recording four interceptions, 15 pass defenses, and two forced fumbles.

He was a two-time Pro Bowler and made the All-Pro team in the 2007 season.

On November 26, 2007, intruders entered his home in Miami. He was shot in the upper leg and suffered major blood loss due to a severed femoral artery.

He was taken to a nearby hospital but passed away the following day at the tender age of 24. Taylor was inducted into Washington's Ring of Honor in 2008.

#2 Steve McNair

Cincinnati Bengals vs Tennessee Titans - October 16, 2005

McNair played 13 seasons in the NFL after being drafted third overall in the 1995 NFL draft out of the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Alcorn State. He played the first 11 seasons with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans. McNair made the Pro Bowl three times and shared the AP NFL MVP award with then-Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning in the 2003 season.

That season, McNair threw for 3,215 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions. In his career with the Oilers/Titans, he recorded 27,141 passing yards, 156 touchdowns, and 103 interceptions. He's second in franchise history in passing yards, trailing Hall of Famer Warren Moon, and third in passing touchdowns.

He was traded by the Titans to the Baltimore Ravens following the 2005 season. McNair started 22 games for the Ravens, throwing for 4,163 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

On July 4, 2009, the quarterback was found dead at his home in Nashville, Tennessee. Authorities believed that he and his mistress, Sahel Kazemi, had gotten into a quarrel and she shot McNair in his sleep. She subsequently committed suicide. McNair was 36 years old at the time.

He was inducted into the Titans Ring of Honor in 2008.

#3 Darrent Williams

The late Denver Broncos CB Darrent Williams. Source: The Durango Herald

Williams was a second-round selection for the Denver Broncos in the 2005 NFL draft. The defensive back had six interceptions, two forced fumbles, and five tackles for loss in his two seasons with the Broncos.

On New Year's Day in 2007, Williams was riding in a limo with a couple of teammates and their significant others. A member of the notorious Crips gang drove up next to the limo and commenced shooting at the limo.

Williams was hit in the neck and died almost instantly at the scene. He was 24.

#4 Will Smith

Jacksonville Jaguars v New Orleans Saints

Smith was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft. The Pro Bowl defensive end spent his entire nine-year NFL career with the Saints.

He led the league in his rookie season with six forced fumbles, ultimately totaling 20 over his career. Overall, his 67.5 career sacks are the fifth-most in Saints franchise history.

He won his lone Super Bowl when New Orleans defeated Indianapolis in Super Bowl 44 in the 2009 season.

Smith and his wife, Racquel, were traveling on Camp Street in New Orleans on April 9, 2016, when their car was hit from behind by another automobile. The collision flung their car into another vehicle, leading to a three-car accident.

An argument reportedly ensued, at which point the driver of the vehicle who initially hit Smith and his wife pulled out a gun and shot both the Saints defensive end and his wife. Smith passed away from the gunshot wounds while his wife was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The Saints inducted Smith into the team's Ring of Honor.

#5 Fred Lane

Former Carolina Panthers RB Fred Lane. Source: Sportscasting

Lane was an undrafted free agent running back who was signed by the Carolina Panthers in 1997. He led the Panthers in both rushing yards (806 yards) and rushing touchdowns (7) in the 1997 season.

In the 1998 season, Lane rushed for 717 yards and five touchdowns. He rushed for 475 yards and a touchdown in his third and final season with Carolina.

Tragically, his wife shot and killed him inside their home in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 6, 2000. Authorities said that his wife shot him the moment he entered the house. She then shot him once more in the back of the head. Lane was 24 years old.

A judge sentenced her to seven years and 11 months in prison, ruling her actions were premeditated and deliberate, that she acted with malice and shot him a second time after he had already been rendered helpless.