Former Notre Dame defensive line player Louis Nix III, who spent three seasons in the NFL with several 2014-16 franchises, was found dead on Saturday in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, after he was reported missing early. of the week, Fighting Irish announced on Sunday. Nix was 29 years old.
Nix’s family confirmed his death to CBS Sports and the local Jacksonville media.
Nix’s mother reported her son’s disappearance on Friday. She said he was last seen leaving his father’s home in Jacksonville on Tuesday. Nix and his mother speak frequently, so she told Ben Becker of WJAX-TV that her son’s sudden lack of communication was out of the ordinary for him.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday night that it had “located” Nix, but did not disclose any additional information. That announcement came less than an hour after the authorities pulled a vehicle out of a pond that closely matched the description of Nix’s vehicle in a call early in the day to help find you.
Nix was recently shot while putting air on his tires during a December 2020 assault on a gas station. His mother said she did not believe the incident was related to her disappearance. However, she said that Nix hesitated to leave her home and carefully observed the surroundings. He underwent surgery after the shooting and said on twitter that the bullet bounced off his sternum and hit his lung.
After leaving Notre Dame after the 2013 season, Nix jumped into the NFL with four teams in three seasons, most recently the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016. He was called up by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft after scoring 122 tackles and 14 TFLs during his time with Fighting Irish.