Community Calls on NFL to Honor Former Player Kevin Johnson After Tragic Death in Los Angeles.

It has been weeks since former NFL defensive lineman Kevin Johnson was murdered while living unhoused in Los Angeles, and as far as community members know, the NFL has not spoken his name.

Kevin Johnson played in the NFL. He fought in the trenches. He gave everything he had to the game. And yet, he died alone, murdered in a homeless encampment in South Los Angeles. Mr. Johnson, a former defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders, died at age 55.

His death has sparked national concern about the growing number of former professional athletes who face housing instability, chronic health issues, and financial hardship after their playing careers end. Kevin Johnson gave his body, his labor, and his talent to the NFL, and he deserves dignity in life and dignity in death. His family should not have to carry the burden of laying him to rest alone.”

Across the country, supporters are calling on the National Football League to formally honor Kevin Johnson and acknowledge the circumstances surrounding his death. They are urging the NFL to:

• Publicly honor Kevin Johnson’s life and career
• Provide financial support to his family for funeral and memorial expenses
• Acknowledge the systemic issues that contribute to homelessness among former players
• Strengthen long-term support programs for retired athletes

Kevin Johnson’s story reflects broader challenges faced by many former NFL players, including chronic injuries, traumatic brain injuries, mental health struggles, financial instability, and limited access to long-term support. When someone who gave years of his life to the league dies in such vulnerable circumstances, the absence of acknowledgment feels like a second loss, a kind of erasure.

This is not just about one man; it’s about the responsibility the NFL must share to ensure that no former player is forgotten on the margins of society. What happened to Kevin Johnson should never happen to any former player. This should never happen to any human being.

I/We are calling on the NFL to act with compassion, leadership, and humanity. Kevin Johnson was part of the NFL’s billion-dollar network of organizations that benefited from his talent. He served the NFL for years, and now, they say, it is time for the NFL to serve him.

{Coming Soon – How Agents and Others Take Money From NFL Players and Leave Them Broke}

© Mansour Id-Deen/ Inter-City Services, Inc.

middeen@icsworks.com

(510) 655-3552