Former Carolina Panthers first-round draft pick died Wednesday
Former Carolina Panthers cornerback Rashard Anderson died Wednesday at the age of 45, Jackson State University announced.
A cause of death was not released.
Anderson, who played college football at Jackson State, excelled at cornerback for the Tigers. He propelled his team into the 1996 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship game and the 1999 SWAC Eastern Division Title.
“Today is a sad day for the JSU family,” Jackson State vice president/director of athletics Ashley Robinson said in a statement. “Rashard was one of the best players in the history of our football program and an outstanding person ... Rashard will always be remembered by Jackson State University, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.”
Anderson played two seasons with the Panthers after being drafted No. 23 overall in 2000 in the George Seifert era, starting nine games and playing in 27 in 2000 and 2001. The Panthers tried him at both safety and cornerback during his brief career. Anderson, a native of Forest, Miss., had one career NFL interception.
He is a member of the Jackson State Sports Hall of Fame.
The Panthers confirmed Anderson’s death, adding that he had died in Mississippi.
“Our condolences go out to his family and loved ones,” the Panthers said in a statement.
Anderson’s best season for Carolina came for the 1-15 Panthers team in 2001. In that season, Anderson played in 15 games, started nine and scored his lone NFL touchdown on a fumble recovery. But before the 2002 season began, the NFL suspended the 6-2, 205-pound Anderson due to violations of its substance abuse policy.
The suspension lasted two years before Anderson met the requirements to be reinstated, The Charlotte Observer reported in 2005. But on the day the league announced Anderson’s reinstatement in 2004, the Panthers released him, and he never played in another NFL game. He did have a short stint in the Canadian Football League. The Mississippi Clarion Ledger reported that Anderson worked several jobs after his football career ended, including as a substitute teacher and assistant high school football coach.
This story was originally published July 14, 2022 at 11:27 AM.
