Former New York Giants offensive lineman Mitch Petrus passed away late on Thursday evening after succumbing to heat stroke. He was just 32 years old.
“We are saddened to hear of Mitch’s passing. Our thoughts go out to Mitch’s family and friends,” the Giants said in a statement.
As news of Petrus’ passing spread, his former teammates shared their sadness and condolences, remembering the lineman as an all-around good person who was intense on the field and exceptionally strong.
“He was strong,” Chris Snee told the New York Post. “He was right up there with me. He and [defensive tackle] Linval [Joseph] had a little rivalry going, too, as far as the strongest young buck.
“He kind of latched onto me early because physically we matched up strength-wise and he was often my workout partner, a guy I tried to help out early on with getting his technique down and trying to help him contribute. I loved being around him. He was a character. Mitch was the life of the party.”
Snee added that he had recently spoken to Petrus, having tried to meet up with him during a scouting trip to Arkansas in October.
“He said, ‘I can’t wait for the reunion’ because I told him about the one I had for the Super Bowl 42 team,” Snee said. “Our time was coming for the 46 team. If there was one guy, a guy you hadn’t seen in a long time that you wanted to see again, he was at the top of my list. He’ll be on my mind probably that entire week.
“He was back working with his family and it seemed like he was in a good place. He has kind of bounced around with what he wanted to do career-wise. Thirty-two is way too young. Everyone who played with Mitch will miss him. A guy that loved football, loved working out. Loved being one of the guys.”
In addition to Snee, several other former teammates of Petrus shared their thoughts via social media.
Petrus will very clearly be missed by many. Gone way too soon.
