Former Buccaneers LB Geno Hayes Passes Away at 33, Per Report

Photo credit: Buccaneers.com

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Geno Hayes passed away on Monday according to the Tallahassee Democrat. The Greenfield, Fla. native and former Florida State Seminole was 33 years old.

Hayes' high schoool football coach Frankie Carroll confirmed the news to the Tallahassee Democrat on Monday night.

Hayes reportedly entered hospice care in his parent's home last week while dealing with chronic liver disease, which he was diagnosed with two years ago according to ESPN. Hayes had been placed on a waiting list for a liver transplant at Mayo Clinic and Northwestern Medicine in December, ESPN shared in its initial report last week.

The Buccaneers' sixth-round draft pick in 2008, Hayes would spend four seasons in Tampa Bay before going onto sign with the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars to finish his NFL career, which came to an end in 2014. In his NFL career, Hayes accumulated 401 tackles, 10 sacks, 48 tackles for loss, six interceptions, six forced fumbles, and 21 defended passes in 101 games, making 70 starts.

Hayes shared with ESPN that he believed his illness stemmed from nonprescription pain medications throughout his NFL career combined with a family history of liver disease. He was first diagnosed with alcoholic cirrhosis, but after further research it was realized that Hayes had a chronic disease and he admitted that he did not consume alcohol at a level that would lead to cirrhosis.

"I'm spending more time with my kids and I really want to help people," Hayes shared with ESPN days before his death. "My main goal is to just inspire, to inspire the next person, no matter what they're going through, no matter who talks bad about them - family, friends, social media, all of that crap - it don't matter. You take care of you. Make sure you're straight. That's all I want to do."

Hayes leaves behind a wife, Shevelle, and two children, aged 13 and 8.