[vincesanity82]

Former San Diego Chargers safety Terrence Kiel, whose off-field problems prevented his enormous talent from coming to fruition, has died in a car crash at age 27.

Kiel was reportedly driving alone after leaving a party at about 10:15 Friday night when his car hit a wall, ejecting him from the vehicle. He died about an hour later. A police spokesman said friends had tried to keep Kiel from driving home from the party, and witnesses told police he appeared to be driving in the wrong direction when he crashed.

Kiel was a four-year starter at Texas A&M and a second-round pick of the Chargers in 2003. Three months after he was drafted, Kiel was shot three times in an attempted carjacking, but he made a complete recovery and played all 16 games as a rookie. During the 2006 season DEA agents showed up at the Chargers' headquarters to arrest Kiel for shipping prescription cough syrup to Texas as part of an effort to distribute a drink known as "lean," which mixes soft drinks with codeine cough syrup.

The Chargers released Kiel after he pleaded guilty to that charge, and he never played in the NFL again.

Terrence Kiel, Talented NFL Player Derailed by Off-Field Trouble, Dies at 27 - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

[Bette]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

Former San Diego Chargers safety Terrence Kiel, whose off-field problems prevented his enormous talent from coming to fruition, has died in a car crash at age 27.

Kiel was reportedly driving alone after leaving a party at about 10:15 Friday night when his car hit a wall, ejecting him from the vehicle. He died about an hour later. A police spokesman said friends had tried to keep Kiel from driving home from the party, and witnesses told police he appeared to be driving in the wrong direction when he crashed.

Kiel was a four-year starter at Texas A&M and a second-round pick of the Chargers in 2003. Three months after he was drafted, Kiel was shot three times in an attempted carjacking, but he made a complete recovery and played all 16 games as a rookie. During the 2006 season DEA agents showed up at the Chargers' headquarters to arrest Kiel for shipping prescription cough syrup to Texas as part of an effort to distribute a drink known as "lean," which mixes soft drinks with codeine cough syrup.

The Chargers released Kiel after he pleaded guilty to that charge, and he never played in the NFL again.

Terrence Kiel, Talented NFL Player Derailed by Off-Field Trouble, Dies at 27 - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

What a waste and what a troubled young man. May he rest in peace now.