Parents share importance of mental health care after Utahn, NFL player Jordan Devey dies - FOX 13 News Utah

What the report says

FOX 13 News Utah reported that the parents of former NFL offensive lineman Jordan Devey are urging more open conversations about mental health after his family said he died by suicide Tuesday at age 38. Devey, a Utah native who grew up in American Fork, is survived by his wife, Linsey, and their four children. His parents, Leslie and Kerry Devey, described him as energetic, generous and deeply devoted to his family.

According to FOX 13, Devey did not play football at American Fork High School, where he was instead in the marching band, but later returned to the sport after serving an LDS mission in Costa Rica. He played at Snow College and then at the University of Memphis before reaching the NFL, where his career included time with six teams. His family said he earned a Super Bowl ring with the New England Patriots and retired in 2021.

The report said Devey had settled in Idaho, where he was a father and high school football coach. His parents told FOX 13 they suspect he may have suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a brain disease associated with repeated head impacts, but they also said they will not have a definitive diagnosis because of the circumstances of his death.

FOX 13 reported that Devey had registered as an organ donor, something his family learned at a Boise hospital. His parents said they hope his death encourages people in distress to seek help. In the U.S., the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988.