Former University of Wisconsin football player Jack Pugh died from acute bronchopneumonia linked to an underlying heart condition, according to an official coroner report.
The 24-year-old former tight end passed away suddenly on March 30. Findings from the Franklin County Coroner's Office in Ohio, obtained on Tuesday via People magazine, revealed that the severe lung infection developed as a consequence of cardiomyopathy, a chronic disease of the heart muscle.
Officials noted that Pugh was also suffering from hepatosplenomegaly, a medical condition involving the simultaneous enlargement of both the liver and the spleen, at the time of his death. The University of Wisconsin confirmed his passing on March 31, sending shockwaves through the college football community.
Coroner Details Medical Cause of Passing
Acute bronchopneumonia is a form of pneumonia that causes severe inflammation in the airways and bronchial tubes. Medical examiners determined the respiratory infection occurred as a direct result of Pugh's underlying heart condition, which impairs the heart's capacity to pump blood.
Pugh, a native of Hilliard, Ohio, played for the Wisconsin Badgers football team from 2021 through 2023. Competing at tight end, a hybrid position combining offensive line blocking with pass catching, he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors before stepping away from the program.
Following his passing earlier this year, the University of Wisconsin athletics department issued an official statement paying tribute to the former student-athlete.
"The Wisconsin athletics family is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jack Pugh," the university stated. "Jack was a positive light and brought a genuine spirit to our football program. More than that, he cared about people and was loved by his teammates and staff."
School officials added that Pugh, who completed his degree after retiring from sports, "proudly earned his degree from UW-Madison in 2025 and will forever be remembered and loved."
Decision to Step Away from Football
Pugh publicly announced his medical retirement from college football in December 2023, sharing a candid post on social media that detailed his struggles with depression and substance abuse.
"My physical health was not near perfect, but my mental health was the reason I decided to hang it up," Pugh wrote in his retirement message. "Over years of prolonged depression and substance abuse, I decided I deserved a better life and to finally find happiness."
The former Badgers player stressed that collegiate athletics was not the cause of his mental health challenges, though other pressures had accumulated over time.
"In no way was football the root of these problems, but everything in my life had distracted me for so long to the point I didn't want to be alive for years," Pugh wrote. "I never had prioritized my mental health all along, digging a deeper darker hole."
He concluded his announcement by expressing gratitude to his coaches, teammates, and family for helping him "find a life I'm happy and proud of."
Tributes poured in following the news of his death, including from former Wisconsin teammate Braelon Allen. Allen, a running back for the New York Jets in the National Football League, posted a tribute on social media writing: "Protect your mental."
