Super Bowl champion Ronnie Hillman dies at 31

Former Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman has died following a bout with cancer, family members said in a statement posted Thursday on social media. He was 31.

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The announcement came one day after family members said Hillman was diagnosed in August with renal medullary carcinoma, a rare form of kidney cancer associated with the sickle-cell trait, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hillman had been under hospice care.

On Thursday, family members said he died “quietly and peacefully … in the company of his family and close friends.”

The Broncos remembered Hillman as “a key contributor to the winningest four-year period in franchise history.” He played on two Super Bowl teams with the Broncos, including the one that claimed victory in Super Bowl 50.

“Soft-spoken with a warm smile and quiet intensity, Ronnie was drafted by the Broncos in 2012 and grew into a dynamic player and well-respected teammate,” the Broncos said. “He will be fondly remembered by our organization, which extends it heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Hillman family during this difficult time.”

Hillman also played five games for the Minnesota Vikings and three games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2016, ESPN reported. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys before the 2017 season but was released a short while later, according to CNN.

Earlier, he played two seasons at San Diego State University. In a statement, the school’s athletic director, John David Wicker, said Hillman “helped resurrect San Diego State football in his two seasons in 2010 and 2011 and has recently been around the program offering wisdom and insight.” He and head football coach Brady Hoke shared condolences for Hillman’s family.

“Although I only got to coach him one season, I’ll remember him as a great teammate and hard worker,” Hoke said. “Ronnie always came to practice with a smile on this face and his passion for the game was contagious. He’ll always be an Aztec for Life.”

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