Former NFL Player Sean Dawkins Dead at 52

The football world is mourning the loss of a star.

Sean Dawkins, a beloved University of California, Berkeley alum who played for nine seasons in the NFL, has died, a Cal Athletics spokesperson confirmed to E! News. He was 52.

Dawkins' cause of death was due to cardiac arrest, according to a Cal Athletics news release.

The wide receiver began his professional career in 1993 when he was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the NFL draft. Two years later, he helped take the team to the AFC Championship game, where the Colts ultimately lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After leaving the Colts in 1997, Dawkins had stints on the New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings before retiring from football in 2002. He subsequently moved to Sacramento, Calif. and started a career in real estate, according to Cal Athletics.

By 2005, Dawkins was inducted into the Berkeley hall of fame for his contributions to the University's football program. In the wake of his death, his former college teammates shared their memories of the late Cal star, including Dave Barr, who told Sports Illustrated that "his talent was undeniable."

Fellow teammate Mike Pawlawski added, "Sean knew that he was going to beat anybody he lined up against. His personality fit our team perfectly. It wasn't in a hubris way as much as it was a self-belief. He was such a fantastic teammate. I do not have one negative story about Sean Dawkins."

In addition, Colts owner Jim Irsay mourned Dawkins.

"Rest in peace, Sean Dawkins," he wrote on Twitter. "I am shocked and saddened. My prayers and condolences to Sean's family."

Dawkins is survived by his wife Sachiko and his three kids, twin boys Luke and Kameron, and daughter, Ella.

"Sean was the center of our universe," Sachiko said in the Cal Athletics news release. "He was an incredible father and husband."

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