Shane Olivea, Member of Ohio State's 2002 National Championship Team, Dies at Age 40

The Los Angeles Chargers announced former offensive tackle Shane Olivea has died at the age of 40.

While Olivea played for the Chargers from 2004 through 2007, he was best known for his time playing at Ohio State from 2000-03. He started for the 2002 Buckeyes team that went 14-0 and won the national championship over the Miami Hurricanes.

He was also a two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection during his collegiate career.

Olivea showed enough to convince the Chargers to select him in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL draft, and he started 57 of the 60 games he played during his four NFL seasons.

The team's announcement highlighted the fact he started all 16 games as "an integral piece of an offensive line" that opened up holes for Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006 on his way to the NFL's single-season touchdown record with 28 rushing scores.

Olivea's NFL career ended prematurely because of opioid misuse that started following his rookie year. He told Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch in 2017 he was taking painkillers every day he was in the NFL that. After his family and friends intervened in 2008, Olivea completed treatment, eventually graduated from Ohio State and was pursuing a coaching career.

The team's announcement did not provide a cause of death.