Jack Pugh, Wisconsin's Four-Star Tight End Who Left Football to Save His Life, Has Died
Jack Pugh, the Wisconsin football player who walked away from the game in 2023 to fight depression and substance abuse, has passed away. The Badgers announced his death on Tuesday, and the college football world lost a young man who chose his mental health over his scholarship.
Pugh was a four-star recruit out of Hilliard Bradley High School in Ohio, ranked by 247Sports as one of the top prospects in the Class of 2021. He enrolled at Wisconsin in January 2021 and spent three seasons with the program. He redshirted his first year, appeared in one game in 2022, and then stepped away from football entirely in 2023 for personal reasons. His cause of death was not disclosed.
🎲 Want to Make Tonight's Game More Interesting?
Kalshi lets you trade on real sports outcomes — not just spreads. It's the only federally regulated prediction market in the US, and it's available right here in Washington state.
New users get a FREE $10 just for signing up — no deposit required to claim it.
👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiA Recruit With Everything, A Player Who Chose Himself
Pugh had the offers, the pedigree, and the Big Ten schools chasing him. But when he announced his retirement from football on Instagram in 2023, he was honest about why. "My physical health was not near perfect, but my mental health was the reason I decided to hang it up," he wrote. He opened up about years of depression and substance abuse, admitting that "everything in my life had distracted me for so long to the point I didn't want to be alive for years." He said he had never prioritized his mental health, "digging a deeper darker hole." In the end, he thanked his coaches, teammates, friends, and family at Wisconsin for helping him find a life he was happy with, and for helping him build a relationship with God. He promised he would never forget the memories.
Wisconsin Remembers a Player Who Brought Light
The Wisconsin Athletics family released a statement Tuesday: "Jack was a positive light and brought a genuine spirit to our football program. More than that, he cared about people and was loved by his teammates and staff." The program noted that Pugh earned his degree from UW-Madison in 2025, a major accomplishment after stepping away from the sport. He will be remembered not for what he could have done on the field, but for the courage it took to choose his own life.
🐦 What fans are saying on X
See the latest reactions and highlights from Seattle fans about Jack Pugh.
View X conversation →This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.