Former Ohio State football player Shane Olivea cause of death revealed, per report
New details have emerged in the recent death of former Ohio State football player Shane Olivea, who died in March at the age of 40.
Olivea died of hypertensive heart disease, a condition worsened in part by obesity, according to a report from E! News.
Olivea's death was ruled natural.
Olivea was the second former Buckeyes lineman from the early 2000s to die recently. Ivan Douglas, who started at left tackle on Ohio State's national championship team in 2002, died last October at 41.
Olivea first joined Ohio State in 2000 out of Cedarhurst, New York. He earned a starting role for the Buckeyes by his sophomore season and was integral to the team's offensive success during its 14-0 national championship run in '02.
Olivea was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He started 57 games and played in 60 contests for the organization over four years at the right tackle position.
The player was also vocal about overcoming his addiction to painkillers. He spoke about the issue with the Columbus Dispatch in 2016, and how it prematurely ended his NFL career.
Olivea returned to Ohio State in 2015 to finish his degree.
This year, the Ohio State football community also mourned the loss of former quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who died at just 24 after being struck and killed by a vehicle in Florida.
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