Former Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Uche Nwaneri dies at 38

Former Jacksonville Jaguars player Uche Nwaneri, one of the team's mainstays on the offensive line for seven seasons, died early Friday at his wife's home in West Lafayette, Ind., at the age of 38.

According to a report in the West Lafayette Journal & Courier, which cited West Lafayette police and Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello, Nwaneri was found unresponsive in his wife's home at 1 a.m. Preliminary reports indicate he suffered a heart attack. An autopsy Monday indicated no signs of foul play.

Nwaneri was living in Atlanta, where he has business interests, and was visiting his wife, according to the report.

Nwaneri was the Jaguars' fifth-round pick from Purdue in the 2007 draft. After playing nine games and starting one as a rookie, he stepped in for the injured Vince Manuwai in 2008 and started 15 games. When Manuwai returned the following season, Nwaneri won the starting guard job on the other side and started 13 of 16 games, allowing only half a sack and not getting a single penalty all season.

He eventually started 76 consecutive games through the 2013 season before his release in March 2014. He was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys but was waived during the final roster cuts of the preseason.

Nwaneri played with consistency and toughness. He started every game in 2012 with a meniscus injury in his knee, explaining his reasoning for toughing it out during a 2-14 season: "It wasn't going to get any worse."

"He was such a great teammate to have around," said former Jaguars center Brad Meester. "He was the guy right beside me for a long time ... a tremendous player and a tremendous athlete. There was such a great energy to him, a very positive, very smart guy. I was fortunate to have great guards on either side of me during my career and he was one of them, a guy you could count on all the time."

"This comes as a big shock," said Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee, who said he and Nwaneri shared a common bond with their Texas roots. "I've kept up with him since he retired (in 2014) and he's a really good dude and was a heck of a football player. He was always one of the outspoken leaders in the locker room and he was one of the few offensive linemen who really showed appreciation for kickers."

Dan Edwards, the Jaguars' former communications director and currently senior vice president of tradition and alumni, praised Nwaneri for his intellect and lively conversations the two would have about almost any subject.

"Uche was always one of my favorite players," Edwards said. "He was a very good player but a really down-to-earth, everyday guy who was very smart. I enjoyed conversations with him because he was a thinker. He enjoyed talking, was very popular with his teammates and a really a good, good, guy. This is really a sad story that he's gone."

Tony Khan, the Jaguars chief football strategy officer and the son of owner Shad Khan, posted his condolences on Twitter.

"On behalf of the Jaguars organization and my family, our thoughts are with Uche's family (and) friends at this terrible time," Tony Khan posted.

Nwaneri had multiple business ventures in Atlanta. He owned a club, a property management company and a sports consulting firm.

He had an active presence on social media and enjoyed gaming and comic books. His Twitter and YouTube handle was "The Observant Lineman."

Nwaneri wasn't shy about voicing his opinions on the Jaguars and took to social media to criticize the team's search for a coach before hiring Doug Pederson.

Nwaneri's last tweet the day before he died was to honor soccer legend Pelé, who died last week. His last YouTube post was to wish his followers and their families a Merry Christmas.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Uche Nwaneri, former Jaguars offensive lineman dies at 38