By: Tyler Ward
(Yes, I know I'm a little late on this story, but I felt entitled to still do something about this).
Broncos receiver Kenny McKinley was found dead at his home on September 20, 2010. The cause of death appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said in a statement, "Although the death of McKinley appears to be the result of a self inflicted gunshot, the investigation into this matter, conducted by the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office and the Arapahoe County Coroner's Office, is on-going."
Authorities were called to McKinley's apartment at approximately 5:35 P.M. ET. A female friend found the Broncos receiver's body after returning to the apartment with McKinley's son, Keon. The NFL Player's Association has set up a trust fund for McKinley's son, in hopes of providing health care and educational expenses for the one-year old.
Brittany Boyd, McKinley's best friend, was one of two women taking care of his one-year old son when they discovered McKinley had commited suicide. She told the Associated Press that he had shown no signs of distraught or depression, but she wouldn't rule anything out. "That's not the type of thing he would say and if he did say it, that's not the type of thing that you would take seriously coming from him. Because of his personality, because of who he is, nobody would have ever believed he would have done it." Boyd said that she had picked McKinley up from the airport last Sunday and nothing seemed wrong with him - he seemed perfectly fine.Head Coach Josh McDaniels was emotional at the news conference that was hosted shortly after McKinley's death. "Kenny had a promising future on the football field, but more important, he was a great teammate whose smile and personality could light up the room," McDaniels said. "This is a tragic loss for our football team, and his family is in all of our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."
McKinley, South Carolina's all-time leading receiver, had not found his groove in the NFL since being drafted with the 141st overall pick by Denver in 2009. In his rookie season, he appeared in eight games, but failed to register a reception - he was primarily used as a returner, bringing back 3 punts for 32 yards and 7 kickoffs for 158 yards. On December 28, 2009, he was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury and did not play the rest of the season. The team put him back on injured reserve prior to this season, so he would not be able to play at all during the 2010 season.
The Broncos receiver was reportedly battling depression shortly before his untimely death. A police report showed that McKinley was showing bad signs of depression - he apparently stated that football was all he knew, and if he wasn't able to play the game he loved, he "should just go kill himself." Also, according to the report, McKinley was taking 500 milligrams of Naproxen, a non-steroidal anti-flammatory drug. No one entirely knows what was going through McKinley's head at that point and we will never know. The only thing I know is that it was too soon. He, like other athletes, had potential and could have been a very good player in the NFL. Now, we'll never know.
Broncos president and CEO Pat Bowlen said in a statement, "Everyone with the Broncos is shocked and saddened by the loss of Kenny McKinley. He was part of the Broncos family and will be greatly missed by our organization. My most heartfelt condolences go out to Kenny's family and friends."
Steve Spurrier, McKinley's coach at South Carolina, said, "I saw him here. He came to the Georgia game. He seemed in good spirits. He had a great smile, like he always had. I don't understand it, if it happened the way they say. It's hard to comprehend. Kenny was one of my favorite all-time players. He was one of them. He was a wonderful guy. It's hard to figure out how, or why, this happened."
McKinley's funeral was held on Monday in Atlanta, Georgia at the World of Faith Family Worship Cathedral. A few hundred people attended the funeral, along with Steve Spurrier and former South Carolina teammates.
McKinley's death is just another tragic loss for the Broncos. Cornerback Darrent Williams, a promising player, was killed in a drive-by shooting on January 1, 2007. Running Back Damien Nash collapsed at a charity basketball game on February 24, 2007. Both players were just 24 years old. McKinley was 23.
Rest in peace, Kenny. You will be sorely missed and it's a shame that we will never get to see your full potential. Hope you feel better on the other side.
