Former Denver Broncos lineman Darren Drozdov, who went on to have a career as a professional wrestler with WWE, died Friday. He was 54.
Drozdov’s family released a statement announcing the news. In it, they called Drozdov a person who “always put others first.”
A portion of that statement reads:
“[Drodov] was a devoted son, brother, and friend who had always put others first, especially his family. He was kind, generous and was always there for his people. He was our guiding light who lit up our lives with infinite love and wonder. His smile was healing. His warmth, love, and laughter were infectious. We could always turn to him for wisdom and solace and his absence feels like a giant hole in our family and our hearts. Everyone who knew Darren was a better person because of it. He taught everyone so much about how to look at life: how to put things in perspective, how to overcome adversity, and how to show compassion for others. He would not want anyone to be sad at this moment and would want this to be a celebration of his life, to be remembered for all the great things that he accomplished, the fun, the laughter, the great memories he shared with everyone. “
After playing college football at Maryland, Drozdov spent the 1993 season with the Broncos. He played in six games with the team, starting two of them. Drozdov earned the nickname “Puke” after he vomited on a football during a preseason game that was nationally televised.
In 1998, Drozdov made his debut with WWE, then known as WWF. Drozdov claimed he could vomit on command, which led to him wrestling under the names “Puke” and “Droz.” He worked closely with the Legion of Doom.
Drozdov sustained a career-ending injury during a match with D’Lo Brown in 1999. Drozdov landed on his head and fractured two vertebrae in his neck during an attempted powerbomb by Brown. Drozdov was left a quadriplegic due to the injury. Drozdov reportedly had no ill will towards Brown after the injury.
Following the injury, Drozdov worked as a writer and columnist for WWE.
Former WWE superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson paid tribute to Drozdov in a post on Twitter on Friday.