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How did Adrian Dingle die? NFL star who played for San Diego Chargers for five seasons dead at 45

Adrian Dingle, a defensive tackle who played for the San Diego Chargers, died on November 8

CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA: Adrian Dingle, a defensive tackle who played for the San Diego Chargers for five seasons, died on Tuesday, November 8, at the age of 45, according to Clemson Tigers. The cause of death has not been released by the family, although a brief obituary was released following Dingle's death. The obituary reads, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Mr. Adrian K. Dingle of Winthrop, MA, formerly of Holly Hill. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. The family will be receiving condolences via telephone.” 

According to Clemson Tigers' official website, Dingle attended Roberts High School in Holly Hill, South Carolina, and joined the Clemson basketball team as a freshman in 1995. Together with Harold Jamison, he helped make Holly Hill Roberts' defense one of the best in the state. Dingle was the defensive MVP of the 1994 North-South High School All-Star game. Dingle was a starter at defensive end for Clemson's last three seasons, earning letters in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. Over the course of his career, he aided the Tigers in three bowl games.

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Dingle participated in 46 games overall for the Tigers, including 34 starts. In 1996, as a sophomore, he made all 12 starts and recorded a career-high 68 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, six of which were sacks. He missed one game in 1997 due to injuries, but he still recorded 48 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, and 4.5 sacks overall. He recorded 10.5 sacks as a senior in 1998, which was a Clemson single-season record at the time. In that year, he made 47 total tackles, 15 of which were for a loss, and was nominated to the second-team All-ACC. He also recorded a team-best 27 quarterback pressures.

The San Diego Chargers selected Dingle in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He didn't participate in the 1999 season, but from 2000 through 2004, he spent five seasons in the NFL with the Chargers, appearing in 70 total games. His greatest year was in 2003 when he had 37 tackles, six sacks, and 16 total tackles for loss. Condolences poured in after the demise of the NFL star. Former Charger Marcellus Wiley tweeted, “RIP to my teammate @AdrianDingle. We were just hanging, laughing, swapping war stories, and talking family. Rest easy big dog!”

Sprinter Tyree Washington also paid tribute to Dingle, saying, “Rest Easy my brother Adrian Dingle. Your smile was infectious and your drive to be the best at your craft was amazing! Looks are deceiving!  Never assume someone is alright because of their success, looks, material possessions, etc. Check up on your peeps! We all need somebody! #mentalhealth #NFLPA #NFL Athletes for Hope.It was a pleasure to share the field with my bro while being teammates with Los Angeles Chargers. Prayers up for your family."