Former Wisconsin football player, who left the sport amid mental health struggles, dead at 24

Former Wisconsin shot subordinate Jack Pugh, who walked distant from assemblage shot owed to intelligence wellness struggles, has died, the assemblage announced Tuesday. He was 24. 

Pugh, an Ohio native, was a choky extremity connected the Badgers' shot squad from 2021 to 2022. His origin of decease was not instantly known. 

Pugh redshirted his freshman twelvemonth and made his debut for Wisconsin successful a crippled against Minnesota the pursuing season. But successful December 2023, helium announced helium was stepping distant from the athletics due to the fact that of intelligence wellness struggles. (Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics)

"The Wisconsin Athletics household is profoundly saddened to perceive of the passing of Jack Pugh. Jack was a affirmative airy and brought a genuine tone to our shot program. More than that, helium cared astir radical and was loved by his teammates and staff," the connection read. 

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"Jack proudly earned his grade from UW-Madison successful 2025 and volition everlastingly beryllium remembered and loved." 

Pugh redshirted his freshman twelvemonth and made his debut for Wisconsin successful a crippled against Minnesota the pursuing season. But successful December 2023, helium announced helium was stepping distant from the athletics due to the fact that of intelligence wellness struggles. 

Pugh redshirted his freshman twelvemonth and made his debut for Wisconsin successful a crippled against Minnesota the pursuing season. But successful December 2023, helium announced helium was stepping distant from the athletics due to the fact that of intelligence wellness struggles. (Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics)

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"I made a determination earlier the shot play to medically retire, that I haven’t yet formally announced. My carnal wellness wasn’t adjacent perfect, but my intelligence wellness was the crushed I decided to bent it up," helium wrote successful an Instagram station astatine the time.

"Over years of prolonged slump and substance abuse, I decided I deserved a amended beingness and to yet find happiness. In nary mode was shot the basal of these problems, but everything successful my beingness had distracted maine for truthful agelong to the constituent I ne'er had prioritized my intelligence wellness each along, digging a deeper darker hole." 

Pugh redshirted his freshman twelvemonth and made his debut for Wisconsin successful a crippled against Minnesota the pursuing season. But successful December 2023, helium announced helium was stepping distant from the athletics due to the fact that of intelligence wellness struggles. (Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics)

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New York Jets moving backmost Braelon Allen, who was Pugh’s teammate during their clip astatine Wisconsin, shared a connection connected X seemingly successful effect to quality of Pugh’s death.

"Protect your mental," his station X. 

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