Damien Nash
Encyclopedia
Damien Darnell Nash was an American football
player who was a running back
for the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He died after the 2006-2007 season, his only season with the Broncos.
Riverview Gardens High School for the first three years of his education. He followed his coach, Darren Sunkett, to East Saint Louis High School for his senior year. He finished his career with 5,395 rushing yards and 85 rushing touchdown
s as well as 1,160 passing yards and 10 passing touchdowns.
He was a track star in high school and ran the 100 meter dash in 10.3 seconds.
, but attended Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas
before transferring to the University of Missouri
. He finished his college career with 253 rushing attempts for 1,254 yards (5.0 yards per rushing attempt average) with 12 rushing touchdowns as well as 36 receptions for 282 yards (7.8 yards per reception average) with two receiving touchdowns).
by the Tennessee Titans
. He was released after one season with the Titans and was signed by the Denver Broncos
. After spending the first portion of the season on the Broncos practice squad, he was given a roster spot as the third-string running back behind Tatum Bell
and Mike Bell
.
Nash appeared in six NFL games, three with the Titans and three with the Broncos. He had 24 carries for 98 yards (4.1 yards per rushing attempt average) and no touchdowns as well as seven receptions for 55 yards (7.9 yards per reception average) and no touchdowns.
His best performance came during the November 19, 2006 game against the San Diego Chargers
, with ten carries for fifty-two yards and three receptions for thirty-six yards.
He did not appear in the Broncos' final five games of the 2006 season. However, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan
said about Nash "We never had a guy play for one year, as Damien did, and influence so many people."
game at Riverview Gardens High School on February 23, 2007. He was found unresponsive at a residence in suburban St. Louis and was later pronounced dead. The charity event was a fundraiser to benefit the Darris Nash Find A Heart Foundation, a charity which raises funds for heart transplant research. Nash had created the charity in honor of his older brother, Darris, a recent heart transplant recipient.
Nash was the second Broncos player to die in 2007; Cornerback
Darrent Williams
was shot to death while riding in a limousine
after leaving a Denver nightclub
early on the morning of January 1, 2007.
Sergeant Ed Douglas of the Ferguson, Missouri
, police department said in a telephone interview that Nash was transported by ambulance
to Christian Hospital Northeast. Douglas said the case was still under investigation. Nash was pronounced dead at 6:41 p.m. MST
.
An autopsy confirmed that no drugs or unnatural substances were present in Nash's body at the time of death. While being a natural death of cardiac origin, the exact cause of death remains undetermined.
He is survived by his wife, Judy Jae' Nash and daughter Phaith Nash.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who was a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He died after the 2006-2007 season, his only season with the Broncos.
High school career
Nash attended St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
Riverview Gardens High School for the first three years of his education. He followed his coach, Darren Sunkett, to East Saint Louis High School for his senior year. He finished his career with 5,395 rushing yards and 85 rushing touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s as well as 1,160 passing yards and 10 passing touchdowns.
He was a track star in high school and ran the 100 meter dash in 10.3 seconds.
College career
Damien was recruited for football by the University of MissouriUniversity of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
, but attended Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas
Coffeyville, Kansas
Coffeyville is a city situated along the Verdigris River in the southeastern part of Montgomery County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,295...
before transferring to the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
. He finished his college career with 253 rushing attempts for 1,254 yards (5.0 yards per rushing attempt average) with 12 rushing touchdowns as well as 36 receptions for 282 yards (7.8 yards per reception average) with two receiving touchdowns).
Professional career
Nash was drafted with the fifth pick of the 6th round of the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
by the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. He was released after one season with the Titans and was signed by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. After spending the first portion of the season on the Broncos practice squad, he was given a roster spot as the third-string running back behind Tatum Bell
Tatum Bell
Tatum Antoine Bell is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
and Mike Bell
Mike Bell (football player)
-Denver Broncos:Bell entered the 2006 NFL Draft, but went undrafted. He was signed as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2006 by the Denver Broncos.Bell had a very strong training camp, and before the Broncos first preseason game, Bell was promoted to the starting tailback position...
.
Nash appeared in six NFL games, three with the Titans and three with the Broncos. He had 24 carries for 98 yards (4.1 yards per rushing attempt average) and no touchdowns as well as seven receptions for 55 yards (7.9 yards per reception average) and no touchdowns.
His best performance came during the November 19, 2006 game against the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, with ten carries for fifty-two yards and three receptions for thirty-six yards.
He did not appear in the Broncos' final five games of the 2006 season. However, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
said about Nash "We never had a guy play for one year, as Damien did, and influence so many people."
Death
Nash collapsed suddenly following a celebrity charity basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
game at Riverview Gardens High School on February 23, 2007. He was found unresponsive at a residence in suburban St. Louis and was later pronounced dead. The charity event was a fundraiser to benefit the Darris Nash Find A Heart Foundation, a charity which raises funds for heart transplant research. Nash had created the charity in honor of his older brother, Darris, a recent heart transplant recipient.
Nash was the second Broncos player to die in 2007; Cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Darrent Williams
Darrent Williams
Darrent Demarcus Williams was an American football player for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Williams was also the owner and CEO of independent record label RYNO Entertainment in Fort Worth, Texas.-High school:Born and raised in Fort Worth, Williams attended O.D...
was shot to death while riding in a limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
after leaving a Denver nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
early on the morning of January 1, 2007.
Sergeant Ed Douglas of the Ferguson, Missouri
Ferguson, Missouri
Ferguson is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 21,203 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Ferguson is located at ....
, police department said in a telephone interview that Nash was transported by ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
to Christian Hospital Northeast. Douglas said the case was still under investigation. Nash was pronounced dead at 6:41 p.m. MST
Mountain Time Zone
The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time, during the shortest days of autumn and winter , and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time in the spring, summer, and early autumn...
.
An autopsy confirmed that no drugs or unnatural substances were present in Nash's body at the time of death. While being a natural death of cardiac origin, the exact cause of death remains undetermined.
He is survived by his wife, Judy Jae' Nash and daughter Phaith Nash.