Alex Collins, a former Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens running back, died in a motorcycle crash in South Florida at the age of 28 on Sunday night, as per the media reports.
Collins was a fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2016 and was highly admired by his fans for his love of Irish dancing and for incorporating that into his touchdown celebrations.
Collins’ Suzuki motorcycle collided with a Chevrolet SUV on Sunday night, resulting in Collins’ death.
“At some point, the Chevrolet driver proceeded to turn left to travel south onto Northwest 33rd Avenue. As the car crossed the eastbound lanes, the motorcycle struck the rear passenger side of the SUV. The impact caused the motorcyclist to enter the rear passenger side window of the Chevrolet and come to a final rest inside the car. The collision also caused the Chevrolet to rotate clockwise before finally resting”, stated investigators.
“Absolutely heartbroken,” a tweet from the Seahawks read. “Prayers are with the Collins family.”
Collins’ family released a statement through the Seahawks that read: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Alex Collins this morning. Alex was cherished by his family and friends as well as supporters from all around the world.”
The statement said that funeral arrangements would be released later.
Several of Collins’ former Seattle teammates also reacted on social media as the news was revealed Monday afternoon.
“Life so crazy man,” tweeted quarterback Geno Smith. “Fly high my boy until we meet again. AK ALL THE WAY.”
Tweeted fellow running back Rashaad Penny: “AK, I’m heartbroken.”
Collins’ agent, Kelli Masters, also acknowledged his death on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating: “As many of you have now heard, Alex Collins passed away this morning. My heart is broken, and I am just at a loss. Alex you were so loved by so many. You impacted lives with your joy and positive, caring spirit and that big smile. I was so honored to be your agent.”
John Schneider, Seahawks general manager said, “Alex’s infectious smile and classic river dance skills will forever be missed. Alex would light up a room and was beloved by our entire building. He enjoyed life and attacked it on the football field.
Collins participated in 11 games with 125 running yards for the Seahawks as a rookie in 2016 before being released at the 53-man roster cutoff the following year. Collins then signed with Ravens, where he played for two seasons, reported The Seattle Times
The third rushing back in SEC history to start his career with three straight seasons over 1,000 yards, Collins was a powerhouse at Arkansas and had his finest NFL season with the Ravens in 2017 with 973 yards.
Collins returned to the Seahawks in 2020 and played three games that season before playing 11 more games with Seattle in 2021 after sitting out the 2019 season.
After Collins was detained following an early morning vehicle accident in Owings Mills, Maryland, the Ravens waived him in March 2019. He ultimately entered a plea of guilty to two misdemeanor charges of possessing a pistol and marijuana, and was given probation, a $200 fine. The charges were dismissed after three years.
Collins, a Fort Lauderdale native, left Arkansas following the 2015 season as the active career leader in SEC rushing yards with 3,703 yards.
Collins was selected as the 171st overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. He quickly won over fans with stories of learning Irish dancing to keep in shape for the draft, which earned him the nickname “Sweet Feet.”
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