Former Bronco, Super Bowl champion Ronnie Hillman passes away
Ronnie Hillman, former Denver Broncos running back who won Super Bowl 50 with the team, died overnight. He was 31.
Hillman had battled liver cancer, recently complicated by pneumonia.
Teammate and former Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe revealed earlier this week that Hillman was in hospice care. Hillman's family announced his passing on his Instagram page late Wednesday night, saying he was in the company of his family and close friends.
"Great football player, great person, great teammate, just an all around great dude," Wolfe said.
In a statement released Thursday morning, the Broncos called Hillman "soft-spoken with a warm smile and quiet intensity."
"We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of former Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman," their statement reads. "A key contributor to the winningest four-year period in franchise history, Ronnie was part of two Super Bowl teams and led the Broncos in rushing during our Super Bowl 50 championship season. 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. He will be fondly remembered by our organization, which extends its heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Hillman family during this difficult time."
The Broncos drafted Hillman in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of San Diego State. In 2015, the year the Broncos won Super Bowl 50, Hillman rushed for 863 yards, caught 24 passes for 111 yards, and recorded a total of seven touchdowns. Hillman also played for the Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers, and Dallas Cowboys
