Super Bowl champion Ronnie Hillman dies at 31

Ronnie Hillman, running back for the Denver Broncos, passed away on December 21, 2022 at 31 after a battle against cancer. Hillman played on the Super Bowl 50 winning Broncos team in 2015.

His family confirmed the news with an emotional message shared through Ronnie Hillman's Instagram account. "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother & father, Ronnie K Hillman Jr.," the statement read.

The statement claimed he "quietly and peacefully transitioned in the company of his family and close friends." Then it continued: "We, as the family, appreciate the prayers and kind words that have already been expressed. We ask that you give us time to process our feelings as we prepare to lay our precious RJ to rest."

Photo: Instagram - @flashlife23

In a statement collected by ESPN, the Denver Broncos said: "We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of former Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman."

The Broncos expressed how important the player was for the team: "A key contributor to the winningest four-year period in franchise history, Ronnie was part of two Super Bowl teams and led the Broncos in rushing during our Super Bowl 50 championship season."

The statement also spoke of his gentle manners and team spirit. "Soft-spoken with a warm smile and quiet intensity," it said, "a dynamic player and well-respected teammate."

Finally, the Denver Broncos extended their condolences: "He will be fondly remembered by our organization, which extends its heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Hillman family during this difficult time," it added.

The young athlete had been fighting against a strange form of cancer called Renal Medullary Carcinoma (RMC) since last August, the family clarified in another Instagram publication just hours before his passing.

Renal Medullary Carcinoma (RMC) is a rare but highly aggressive neoplasm form of cancer that primarily affects young African Americans with sickle cell trait," the publication explained.

Photo: Instagram - @flashlife23

"Unfortunately, treatment has not been successful, and our beloved RJ is currently under Hospice Care," the statement continued. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, 1 in 14 African Americans carry the sickle cell trait, and between 1/20,000 to 1/39,000 of them will develop this rare form of kidney cancer.

Merely hours before his passing, the family wrote: "We hope beyond hope, and we have faith that can move mountains. We also understand that God's will is not always ours; therefore, as a family, we subject ourselves to our Almighty God's will. We need your prayers."

The Denver Broncos drafted Hillman in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. ESPN said he was one of the youngest players selected in recent drafts, at only 20 years old.

Ronnie Hillman's impact on Denver was immediate. The team made it to the 2013 Super Bowl, where they were finally swept by the Seattle Seahawks 43-8.

Two years later, the Broncos would repeat their participation in the Super Bowl. This time, they beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10.

After leaving the Broncos in 2016, Hillman played for the Minnesota Vikings, the San Diego Chargers, and the Dallas Cowboys. He ultimately retired in September 2017.

According to ESPN, Hillman finished his two seasons at San Diego State fifth on the school's all-time rushing list. His last appearance in regular-season games was in 2016, when he played three games for the Chargers.