Ex-Wisconsin tight end Jack Pugh dies

Nick BrombergWed, April 1, 2026 at 12:16 PM UTC

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Former Wisconsin tight end Jack Pugh has died. He was 25.

Wisconsin issued a statement Tuesday night on Pugh’s passing. He was a member of the team for the 2021 and 2022 seasons and spent the 2023 season away from the team before announcing that December that he was retiring from football because of his mental heath.

Pugh’s cause of death is currently unknown.

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“The Wisconsin athletics family is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jack Pugh,” the school said. “Jack was a positive light and brought a genuine spirit to our football program. More than that, he cared about people and was loved by his teammates and staff. Jack proudly earned his degree from UW-Madison in 2025 and will forever be remembered and loved.”

In his retirement announcement over two years ago, Pugh wrote (via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) that while his “physical health was not near perfect, but my mental health was the reason I decided to hang it up. Over years of prolonged depression and substance abuse, I decided I deserved a better life and to finally find happiness.”

Pugh, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was a three-star recruit in the class of 2021 according to Rivals. He appeared in the team’s game against Minnesota in the 2022 season and was also a member of the all-Big Ten academic team that season.

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Source: “AOL Sports”