Charles Johnson, a former first-round pick in the 1994 NFL Draft and former member of the 2001 New England Patriots Super Bowl team, died from a suicidal drug overdose in July, according to the North Carolina medical examiner’s office.
Johnson was found dead on July 17 in a hotel room in Raleigh, North Carolina, after his wife reported him missing. Police responded to the hotel room for a welfare check and found the former athlete on the bed, unresponsive.
Charles Johnson #81, Wide Receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the American Football Conference West game against the Los Angeles Raiders on 27th November 1994 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California, United States. (Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Images)
The report claims that Johnson had “acute oxycodone, hydrocodone and mirtazapine toxicity” in his system and noted that he had no active prescriptions or medical history.
“In the previous week, he had been acting strange and had recently purchased a funeral and cremation service,” the report said via USA TODAY Sports.
“The only personal items in the hotel room appeared to be two empty bottles of water, an empty travel (sized) bottle of body lotion, an empty travel container, a pair or sandals and a pair of eyeglasses,” the medical examiner report stated. “A query of the North Carolina Prescription Monitoring Service showed no active prescriptions. An old (2018) short-term hydrocodone prescription was documented.”
Wide receiver Charles Johnson #81 of the Pittsburgh Steelers smiles while on the sideline during a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Three Rivers Stadium on August 11, 1997, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
Johnson initially paid for the hotel room on July 15, then returned to his home. However, he left several important items before returning to his hotel room. Such as his wallet, cell phone, and keys.
The NFL had granted Johnson permanent disability after claiming to have suffered brain, neck, and spine issues resulting from his nine-year playing career.
Johnson played for the Steelers, Patriots, Eagles, and Bills during his time in the NFL. He totaled 4,606 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns during his career.
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