Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 champion running back Ronnie Hillman has died at age 31, his family announced Thursday.
Hillman died of renal medullary carcinoma, a rare kidney cancer. Hillman’s family wrote on Instagram that the former running back “quietly and peacefully transitioned today in the company of his family and close friends.”
Hillman was drafted by the Broncos in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft out of San Diego State. Hillman was inactive in his second season when Denver reached Super Bowl XLVIII — a game the Broncos lost 43-8 — but he was a key player two years later during the team’s run to Super Bowl 50.
Hillman rushed 207 times for a team-high 863 yards and seven touchdowns during the team’s 2015 season. He rushed five times in Denver’s 24-10 win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50, which was his final game as a Bronco.
The following year, Hillman joined the Minnesota Vikings. He went on to spend time with the San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys before hanging up his cleats in 2017.
In five NFL seasons (56 games), Hillman rushed 494 times for 1,976 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 74 receptions for 524 yards and another score as a receiver out of the backfield. His 1,845 rushing yards with the Broncos ranks 16th on the team’s all-time list.
