Cincinnati Football Announces Death of Freshman Jeremiah Kelly

The University of Cincinnati announced Tuesday the death of freshman offensive lineman Jeremiah Kelly.

"The Bearcats football family is heartbroken by the sudden loss of this outstanding young man," head coach Scott Satterfield said. "In the short time Jeremiah has spent with our team, he has made a real impact, both on the field and in our locker room. My prayers are with the Kelly family and those who had the pleasure of knowing Jeremiah."

Athletic director John Cunningham called Kelly's death a "heartbreaking loss."

"All of us at UC send our love and prayers to the Kelly family and we will do everything that we can to support them and our Bearcats student-athletes in the difficult days and weeks ahead," he said.

The Big 12 also issued a statement:

Kelly was a 3-star recruit and the No. 65 overall player in the state of Ohio in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2025 class. A graduate of Avon High School, he was an all-conference honoree as the school lifted a Division II title, its first ever.

Kelly graduated from high school early in order to enroll at Cincinnati in January.