Former Giants Defensive End Passes Away at 35

Josh Mauro had one season with the Giants.

Defensive end Josh Mauro played one season for the New York Giants. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Former NFL defensive end Josh Mauro, a UK-born player who played one season for the New York Giants  in 2018, has sadly passed away at the age of 35.

The announcement was made by his father, Greg, via a Facebook post.

“With many tears and broken hearts, yet anchored in the unshakable certainty that our precious Josh Mauro is now healed and made new—living in the presence of the Lord—we humbly covet your prayers as our family walks through the devastating loss of our amazing son, brother, uncle, grandson and friend,” the post read.

“On Thursday, April 23rd, Josh breathed his last breath on this earth and his first breath in heaven.”

Mauro, 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, had been an NFL journeyman after going undrafted out of Stanford in 2014. He began his career with the Steelers, but after not making their roster, he went on to have the first of his two stints with the Arizona Cardinals (2014-2017).

He then signed with the Giants in 2018 after being released by the Cardinals that offseason. Mauro reunited with James Bettcher, the Giants' defensive coordinator, who had worked with Mauro in the same role in Arizona.

Mauro’s Giants tenure got off to a rocky start when he landed a four-game, league-imposed suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

When he returned from his suspension, Mauro ultimately moved into the Giants' starting lineup after the team traded away Damon Harrison mid-year to the Lions, a trade that necessitated a shift in the defensive line personnel.

After moving on from the Giants, Mauro then had stops with the Raiders and Jaguars before finishing his NFL career with the Cardinals in 2020.

Mauro appeared in 80 games with 40 starts over his eight-year career. He recorded 130 tackles (87 solo), 20 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, 5.0 sacks, and 5 pass breakups.

During his one season with the Gians, Mauro appeared in 12 games with four starts, recording 28 tackles (17 solo), four tackles for loss, and one sack.

In his post, Greg Mauro expressed gratitude to those who have reached out with their prayers to the family during this difficult time. “Your prayers for continued strength and comfort mean more to us than words could ever express.”

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