Former college football player Josh Cardiello, who joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for rookie camp after his college career ended, has died. He was 30 years old.
Cardiello died last Monday after going into sudden cardiac arrest, according to WSB-TV in Atlanta. He was playing basketball when he collapsed, according to the report.
Josh Cardiello is the second member of his family to die from sudden cardiac arrest as his younger brother, Jacob, died from the same cause in 2021.
“Following the loss of his younger brother, Jacob, to sudden cardiac arrest in 2021, Josh dedicated his professional life to honoring Jacob’s memory through meaningful, patient-focused work,” his father Jay wrote in a social media post, according to WSB-TV. “He was a true patient advocate, especially committed to serving patients living with cardiovascular disease. Josh understood firsthand the burden these diseases place on patients and families.”
A former college football player at Georgia and then UT-Chattanooga, Josh leaves behind a wife and young daughter, according to WSB-TV.
Cardiello played high school football at Buford High in Buford, Ga., winning three straight state championships, before signing to play for the Georgia Bulldogs. He redshirted in 2013 and saw action against Troy in 2014, before transferring from Georgia to Chattanooga ahead of the 2015 season.
He would go on to be a three-year starter for the Mocs, earning All-SoCon honors his final two seasons of college football. Cardiello then joined the Buccaneers for rookie camp before retiring from the sport.