Keith McCants Net Worth, Suicide, Cause of Death, Drugs, Wife, Children, Family, Height, Drug Overdose, Instagram, Obituary

Keith McCants Biography – Keith McCants Wiki

Keith McCants was a former NFL player who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Houston Oilers, and the Arizona Cardinals from 1990 to 1995. He was the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Mobile, Alabama, native earned All-America honors as a college player at the University of Alabama.

McCants played for three seasons in Tampa, followed by stints with the then-Houston Oilers and Arizona Cardinals before his football career ended in 1995. In his NFL career, McCants played in 88 games and recorded 192 tackles, 13.5 quarterback sacks and a single interception he returned for a 46-yard touchdown with the Cardinals.

After retiring from football, McCants became the first Black marine police officer in Alabama at the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. However, due to past injuries, McCants had to retire from his post.

In recent years, McCants had been open about his struggles with depression, addiction, financial troubles and early-onset dementia after his departure from the NFL, as well as his several run-ins with the law for drug-related charges. His financial troubles were detailed in 2012 in an ESPN documentary titled “Broke,” about former professional players who went through bankruptcy and other money difficulties.

“The only thing I want to do now is take all my experiences — good and bad — and spread my story, make sure the next man doesn’t have the same problems and go through the same things that I went through,” the former NFL star told AL.com in 2020. “I want people to go down a better direction than I had to go down.”

Keith McCants Age

Alvin Keith McCants was born on April 19, 1968, in Mobile, Alabama. He died on September 2, 2021, in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was 53.

Keith McCants Death

Former NFL player Keith McCants was found dead on September 2, 2021, at his home in Florida after a suspected drug overdose. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a St. Petersburg home at about 5:10 a.m. Thursday. McCants was dead inside the house, where others who made the 911 call also apparently lived.

“It appears it was a drug overdose, but we are awaiting confirmation from the medical examiner’s office,” sheriff’s spokesperson Amanda Sinni told ESPN. “This is still an open investigation.”

His longtime friend, St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Robert Blackmon, said in the following statement: “10 years, 8 months, 23 days. That is how long I knew Keith McCants. In December of 2010, we set out to try to save his life. This morning, we lost that battle.

“Keith meant everything to me. I would tell people he was my friend. My father. My grandfather. My brother. I would lovingly call him my 53 year old son.

“He needed extra help, due to all that he had endured in life. But I would always tell others how remarkable his demeanor was. If you truly knew Keith, one thing that would stand out to you was his patience. He rarely ever got truly upset. He would indulge others. He wanted to see happiness on the face of those around him. He knew how much sadness there was in our world. And how much he had endured himself.

“He lived a remarkable life. He was a poor child from projects in Mobile, Alabama. He worked hard. Took odd jobs. Turned himself into a high school sports phenom. Basketball, All State. Football, All State.

“He chose the University of Alabama for his collegiate studies, and that is where he truly excelled. Partnering with teammate and roommate (and future HoF’er) Derrick Thomas, they earned Alabama the nickname “Linebacker U”. Keith was a Unanimous All American, and a 1st Round Draft Pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1990.

“His pro career was plagued by injuries, from Tampa to Phoenix to Houston. After the NFL, he made national headlines again when he became the first ever black marine police officer in Alabama. His stories of being a cop were thrilling, invigorating, and hilarious. But the injuries never healed. And he had to retire.

“I was home from college my senior year when I read a story buried in the Tampa Bay Times about an arrest of Keith’s for drug possession, one of many. He looked so sad in the small mugshot that I felt compelled to reach out. I sent him a Facebook message, and we connected via phone. In that first conversation, Keith told me he had less than 18 months to live. And all he wanted to do was tell his story in the time he had left, so that others could be spared the pain and suffering he had endured. I told him we could save his life. And that I would do everything I could to help.

“I had no training on dealing with addiction, and no knowledge of his history. In common with those who are supporting a loved one suffering through addiction, those first few years were riddled with legal troubles and heartache. Two steps forward, one step back. Money on commissaries, inmate video visitation. Collect calls.

“But they were interspersed with hope. An interview, where Keith would truly light up while speaking of his glory days. I became a historian on his life, through research and watching old game tape. I would remind him of stories of the past. He would smile.

“Keith and I traveled the country. New York. Miami. Alabama. Wherever someone would let Keith tell his story, we would go. The 30 for 30 documentary “Broke”. A poignant Vice Sports clip. The New York Times. The more interviews he did, the less he seemed to despair. There were always troubles and bumps along the way. But we made progress. He said sharing his story was cathartic.

“I will never forget attending a church service with Keith. After he spoke, a line of people came up to him. One by one, they would whisper in his ear, hug him, and turn away, crying. I later asked Keith what they had said. They shared their tales of pain, Keith said. And how his bravery, vulnerability, and humility had made their suffering that much less. It was one of the most powerful moments I have ever personally witnessed in my life.

“Keith was humble. He told me he didn’t get excited, after all the ups and downs he had seen in his life. When a former player told us he had to get permission to give out an A list teammate’s cell phone number, I was insulted. But Keith, ever the pacifist, said he understood. “He’s a big time. I’m just me. It’s a liability. I get it ”.

“The second to last time I spoke to Keith was last Tuesday, Election Day. He had lost his rights to vote, but had convinced a friend to support me. “Can you give me the location to vote at? We gotta make sure you win ”. He called me later that night to congratulate me. That’s the kind of friend he was. Humble. Sincere. And sensitive.

“Since Keith’s hip replacement in May, he was a changed man. He could walk again. His voice had changed, the monotone replaced with inflection. I would occasionally forget the names of his former teammates, media personalities. And he had started to remind ME, a completely different pattern from years before. We began to talk about his future again. The next 20 years. Buying a boat. His signature grin was back. But for every battle I could help him fight, there were others he had to face alone.

“Keith, I love you. I would say more than you know, but I think you did know. I would do anything for you, on earth or in death.

“We sure did stretch those 18 months. I will cherish that thought the rest of my life.”

Keith McCants Cause of Death

According to authorities, Keith McCants’ death was caused by a drug overdose. McCants’ official cause of death has yet to be determined.

Keith McCants Drugs

Keith McCants died after a suspected drug overdose. Over the past decade, McCants spoke openly about his abuse of drugs and painkillers. “Before [my career was] over with I was consuming over 183 pills a week, not knowing the effects it had on my liver or my kidneys,” McCants told Vice Sports in 2015. “Or, more importantly, developing a split personality with violent tendencies that my family had to deal with.”

Keith McCants Height

Keith McCants stands at a height of 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m).

Keith McCants Net Worth – Keith McCants Net Worth 2020

Keith McCants had financial troubles. In 2012, he appeared in an ESPN documentary titled “Broke,” about former professional players who went through bankruptcy and other money difficulties.