Former San Diego Chargers defensive end Adrian Dingle has passed away at the age of 45. Dingle died on Nov. 8 but the cause of death has not yet been made public.
Dingle played with the San Diego Chargers for five seasons. He was first drafted in 1999 in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, but he missed
his rookie season with the team due to an injury. The defensive end played with the San Diego Chargers until 2004.Dingle shared two young children with his fiancée Amy Bell, a son born in 2018 named Adrian and a 2-year-old daughter named Ava. Bell told People that Dingle had an “infectious smile” and “selfless love.”
“While Adrian was known for his football accomplishments, he was so much more than football,” Bell told People.
“In the few short days since his passing, I’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of stories and memories. The common theme is his infectious smile and his selfless love. I’ve never met any other person who could meet someone once and go on to be a groomsman in a wedding. His smile will live on through his gorgeous babies who loved their daddy beyond measure.”
His former teammate and sportscaster Marcellus Wiley was surprised by the news. According to his social media, Wiley had recently seen Dingle.
“RIP to my teammate @AdrianDingle. We were just hanging, laughing, swapping war stories, and talking family. Rest easy big dog!”
In 1995, Dingle began playing football for Clemson University in South Carolina. Prior to being drafted by San Diego, the talented athlete also played football for Roberts High School in Holly Hill, South Carolina and was the defensive MVP of the 1994 North-South High School All-Star game.
Clemson University mourned Dingle’s passing with an announcement
on Nov. 10.Our condolences go out to his friends and family.