What Happened to Josh Mauro? Former NFL Defensive End Dies at 35

Former NFL defensive end Josh Mauro has died at 35, and the football world is sending love to his family. According to The Guardian, Josh was born in England while his father worked there, and his family later moved back to the United States. He grew up in Texas, became a star high school football player, and then headed to Stanford, where he played college football and majored in management science and engineering.

After Stanford, Josh went undrafted in 2014, but baby, he still found his way. He signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, then landed with the Cardinals.

Following his death, fans are looking into Josh’s final days and what happened leading up to his passing.

Josh died on Thursday, April 23, according to a post his father, Greg Mauro, shared on Facebook. His family confirmed the news days later, and several of his former teams paid tribute. His family and teams have not released a cause of death.

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

Josh’s family statement used the phrase “healed and made new,” but they did not publicly confirm whether he had been sick before his death. So, while fans may read that line and wonder if he had been battling an illness, there is no verified public medical update.

The Cardinals shared their grief after news of Josh’s death surfaced. “We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Josh Mauro,” the team said in a statement to Fox Sports. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who knew him. We extend our deepest condolences to everyone grieving this loss.”

Josh played for the Cardinals from 2014 to 2017. He later suited up for the New York Giants in 2018 and the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019, when the team was still based in Oakland. He spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020 and eventually returned to Arizona before finishing his career.

The 6-foot-6, 290-pound defensive lineman played 80 NFL games and recorded five career sacks. NFL.com lists him with 119 total tackles, five passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. His most productive season came in 2016 with Arizona, when he played 15 games, started 13, and became a steady piece of the Cardinals’ defensive front.

Josh also spoke openly about how much the game meant to him. During a 2017 trip to London with the Cardinals, he reflected on his football journey.

“Every Sunday when I take the field I appreciate it. I am grateful, and I embrace it. It’s a blessing to be out there. This game has been wonderful to me,” Josh said.