Ex-NFL star Devon Wylie dies at the age of 35 from unknown causes: Family says former Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans wide receiver was 'always making people laugh and entertaining us'

Former NFL star Devon Wylie has died aged 35 from unknown causes, his family has announced. 

The family of the wide receiver, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans, paid a heartbreaking tribute after his death. 

'We wanted to make this post so people who knew and loved Devon could learn of his passing because we don’t have the capacity to reach out to everyone in this hard time,' the family said, according to reports. 

'There are no words to express the sadness that comes from losing a brother, dear friend and an amazing uncle. 

'Devon had so much love and joy to give. Always making people laugh and entertaining us with his football skills, guitar jams, silly jokes and voices, back-flip tricks, fun banter Star Wars obsession chat, Halo nights and not to mention his beautiful smile. We will miss him always.' 

His Instagram indicates that he began a stint in music in San Francisco after his pro-football career ended in 2016. 

Before launching his NFL career, Wylie was a star high school player at Granite Bay High School in California, which earned him a scholarship to Fresno State University from 2007-2011.

He became a standout national talent at college, and Fresno State said after news of Wylie's death that he is 'forever a bulldog'. Barstool Fresno State, a fan account, dubbed him 'one of the best if not the best special team return player to come out of Fresno State.' 

Wylie was known for his rapid speed and reception ability, but was dogged by injuries that saw him spend less than two full seasons in the NFL. He spent the next four years on pro-team practice squads. 

He ended his career in 2016 in the Canadian Football League, but continued to share fond memories of his NFL career and images of himself playing before tens of thousands of fans, years after his career ended. 

In one post from 2020, he shared a picture with a Chiefs fan, both in Chiefs gear, which he captioned that he was 'not team-less for once.' 

During the senior year of his college career, his prodigious speed saw him lead the Western Athletic Conference in yards per punted return, in a season where he recorded 56 receptions in 13 games. 

He shot to prominence in the pro-football world in 2012, when he recorded a 4.36 second 40-yard dash in the pre-draft NFL Scouting Combine, telling the Sacramento Bee at the time: 'Speed kills. That’s how I’ll make it in pro ball.'

Wylie was drafted into the NFL in the fourth round by the Chiefs, as Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel said he called the college standout up to the pro-leagues because he showed 'really good quickness and he runs really good routes'. 

He was released before the 2013 season by the Chiefs, after receiving six passes in six games. 

He then spent less than one season at the Titans, before moving to six teams over the next two seasons. He spent most of the rest of his playing days on practice squads, including for the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders. 

When he was signed up to the 49ers practice squad in 2013, he told the Sacramento Bee that seeing his career go from NFL starter to down-roster player had 'been rough, man.' 

'I know a lot of teams have been bringing me on to these practice squads, basically as an extended tryout,' he said.  

'And for one reason or another, they need to bring in another guy because someone gets hurt. And I get booted. If they keep me, they’re going to get my best.'