The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Florida State football fans mourn the passing of Geno Hayes.
Former Florida State football star and Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Geno Hayes has died at the age of 33 on Monday evening from chronic liver disease.
Hayes was a First-Team All-ACC performer in his final season with the Seminoles in 2007. He went on to be a sixth-round pick by the Buccaneers in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Hayes spent seven years in the NFL with three different franchises, including the first four with Tampa Bay. At the age of 31, he was first diagnosed with chronic live disease. He died in hospice care on Monday night.
Florida State head football coach Mike Norvell and the Buccaneers organization tweeted a heartfelt messages after hearing of Hayes’ untimely passing.
Former Florida State, Buccaneers linebacker Geno Hayes passes away at 33
Hayes had been on the waiting list for a liver transplant after being hospitalized over 20 times in the last year. He is survived by his wife Shevelle and their two children. Liver disease runs in his family, but he remained optimistic and upbeat in the years leading towards his untimely passing. Without a doubt, he left an indelible impact on the Tampa Bay Area and Tallahassee communities.
“I’m enjoying life, I’m spending more time with my kids and I really want to help people,” said Hayes to ESPN shortly before his death. “My main goal is to just inspire, to inspire the next person, no matter what they’re going through, no matter who talks bad about them — family, friends, social media, all of that crap — it don’t matter. You take care of you. Make sure you’re straight. That’s all I want to do.”
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