Former Cincinnati Bengals star Rudy Johnson died at the age of 45.

Former NFL star Rudy Johnson passed away at the age of 45, the Cincinnati Bengals confirmed to people.

According to TMZ, Johnson, who ran for the Bengals from 2001 to 2007, reportedly passed away just after midnight in Florida on Tuesday, September 23rd.

The cause of death is currently unknown, but the former was suffering from mental health issues, family sources told the outlet that they were believed to be suffering from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).

Over time, the condition worsens as the nerve cells in the brain die. CTE can only be diagnosed via postmortem autopsy.

In a statement shared with people, the Bengals said they were “deeply saddened” by the news of Johnson’s death.

“Rudy was a great guy and a great running back for us,” Bengals President Mike Brown said. “He was relied on as a player, productive and extremely popular among his teammates. Everyone liked him and saw him as a dear friend. We are deeply saddened by his death.”

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According to ESPN, Johnson was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft.

He continued to play for the team for seven seasons and was selected in 2004 by the Pro Bowl according to Fox 19.

He played his final NFL season with the Detroit Lions in 2008.

By the end of his career, Johnson had 5,979 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns, according to ESPN statistics.

In honor, former Bengali wide receiver Chad “Ochocinko” Johnson – drafted alongside Johnson and played with him for all seven seasons – shared a photo of Johnson on the field of X.

“Rip Rudi Johnson,” his caption was read along with a pigeon emoji.