Former NFL Wide Receiver Charles Johnson Reportedly Took His Own Life

A former NFL player who was found dead last summer in a hotel room in Raleigh, North Carolina, died by suicide according to a medical examiner’s report.

According to USA Today, former NFL wide receiver Charles Johnson died by suicide after seemingly overdosing on drugs based on a report by the medical examiner’s office. His death occurred on July 17. He was 50 years old. His wife reported him missing the day before he was discovered at a hotel room located approximately 6.5 miles from his residence.

The 50-year-old reportedly had no known medical issues and wasn’t taking any medication. The report stated that he was found to have “acute oxycodone, hydrocodone and mirtazapine toxicity” after his death.

The findings, which were obtained by USA Today Sports, said, “In the previous week, he had been acting strange and had recently purchased a funeral and cremation service.”

Officials from Raleigh stated that police officers went to the local Hampton Inn after receiving a call for a welfare check when Johnson did not check out when he was scheduled to. Included in the medical examiner’s report was the discovery of Johnson being unresponsive in the room lying on the bed.

He paid for the room on July 15, then went back home and left his residence without some of his essential items. The report said that he left his wallet, cell phone, keys and his car at his home.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The only personal items in the hotel room appeared to be two empty bottles of water, an empty travel (sized) bottle of body lotion, an empty travel container, a pair of sandals and a pair of eyeglasses,” was written in the report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh.

“A query of the North Carolina Prescription Monitoring Service showed no active prescriptions. An old (2018) short-term hydrocodone prescription was documented.”

The former football player attended and played collegiate football at the University of Colorado Boulder. In 1984, he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the NFL draft. During his NFL career, he also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, the New England Patriots, and the Buffalo Bills.