Jack Pugh, a former tight end at the University of Wisconsin who left the football program to cope with mental health issues, died on March 30. He was 24.

Wisconsin’s football program issued a post on Tuesday on its X account, confirming Pugh’s death.

Details, including Pugh’s cause of death, were not given, ESPN reported.

“The Wisconsin Athletics family is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jack Pugh,” the university wrote in a statement. “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. Jack proudly earned his degree from UW-Madison in 2025 and will forever be remembered and loved.”

According to his obituary, Pugh was born on Aug. 22, 2001, in Columbus, Ohio, and grew up in the suburban cities of Hilliard and Plain City.

He attended Hilliard Bradley High School in Hilliard, where he excelled at basketball for two years before joining the football team as a junior, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

He was a member of the Badgers’ recruiting class in 2021, choosing Wisconsin over schools such as Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, Maryland and Minnesota, according to the newspaper.

Pugh was redshirted in 2021 before appearing in one game and earning academic All-Big Ten honors in 2022, according to The Associated Press. He announced in an Instagram post in December 2023 that he had decided to medically retire, a choice he made before the season.

While he played one game in 2022, he spent most of 2023 away from the program for personal reasons, the Journal Sentinel reported.

“My physical health was not near perfect, but my mental health was the reason I decided to hang it up,” Pugh wrote at the time. “Over years of prolonged depression and substance abuse, I decided I deserved a better life and to finally find happiness. In no way was football the root of these problems, but everything in my life had distracted me for so long to the point I never had prioritized my mental health all along, digging a deeper darker hole.”

Pugh’s obituary noted that he was a “dedicated and hard-working plumber.”

“Jack had a huge heart and an innate ability to connect with everyone he met,” his obituary stated. “His warmth and kindness touched the lives of many, leaving an indelible mark on family, friends, and colleagues alike.”

Note: If you or someone you know is thinking of harming themselves, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free support via the Lifeline by dialing 988. For more about risk factors and warning signs, visit the organization’s official website.

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