Former Seahawks running back Alex Collins has died

The NFL community is in shock and mourning the loss of former Seattle Seahawks running back Alex Collins.

On Monday the Baltimore Ravens announced the death of Collins, the team’s former starting running back who also had two stints with the Seahawks. A cause of death has not yet been revealed.

Update: Local news media in Miami has reported that Collins was killed after his motorcycle collided with an SUV in Florida on Sunday night. The Broward Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Investigation is currently investigating the incident.

Collins’ passing comes just days after the death of former Seahawks receiver Sean Dawkins at the age of 52.

A star player with just over 3,700 rushing yards in three seasons at the University of Arkansas, Collins was drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round back in 2016. His first NFL touchdown came as a rookie against the eventual NFC champion Atlanta Falcons. After Seattle waived him in 2017, Collins went on to start 22 games for the Baltimore Ravens over the ensuing two seasons, and he enjoyed a 973-yard campaign to go along with 6 touchdowns in his first year in Baltimore.

With multiple running backs out due to injury, Seattle brought Collins back in the middle of the 2020 season, and he an immediate impact by scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams. Collins stayed in Seattle for what was his final NFL season in 2021, rushing for over 400 yards on 108 carries and a pair of touchdowns.

Just a few months ago, Collins played for the Memphis Showboats in the USFL, and while he ended the season on injured reserve, he did get to throw a touchdown pass on a trick play.

Collins’ trademark celebration after every touchdown was his Irish dance, which he says was beneficial for his on-field performance. His dancing, including his impact off the field by encouraging a bullied 12-year-old kid to continue learning Irish dance, was featured in a segment on the CBS Evening News back in 2017.

The Seahawks organization and his former teammates Tyler Lockett, Tre Brown, Quandre Diggs, and Geno Smith have all expressed condolences and prayers for his family after this incredibly sad and heartbreaking news.