Former NFL WR Reche Caldwell dead in shooting

[CF4L]

https://247sports.com/Article/Reche-Caldwell-dead-Tampa-shooting-Florida-Gators-Football-Steve-Spurrier-147939251/

Former Florida receiver Reche Caldwell dead after shooting

Former Florida Gators wide receiver Reche Caldwell died on Saturday in a shooting, a report from TMZ confirms. He was 41 years old at the time of his death.

TMZ confirmed the death with Caldwell’s mother, Deborah Caldwell, on Sunday morning. TMZ reported that Tampa authorities had not responded yet when asked about any arrests being made in the shooting. However, TMZ also said that Caldwell's girlfriend stated he was "ambushed" by a "couple of people" who jumped out of bushes trying to rob him and Caldwell was shot in the leg and chest.

"He was a good person who smiled all of the time," Deborah told TMZ. "He tried to help everyone he could. He was the type of guy who would take his shirt off his back and give it to you."

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A native of Tampa, Florida, Caldwell attended Thomas Jefferson High School before accepting his scholarship offer to play college football at Florida, despite being selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1998 MLB Draft. Caldwell played for Steve Spurrier and the Gators from 1998-2001 and made quite the name for himself in his college football days.

While at Florida, Caldwell steadily improved over three years on the field. He finished his college career with 2,088 yards and 18 touchdowns receiving, but it was his senior year that set him apart. In 2001, Caldwell caught 65 passes for 1,059 yards and 10 touchdowns. That year, he was a Second Team All-SEC pick and an Honorable Mention All-American selection before going to the NFL.

In the four years that Caldwell was with Florida, the program had some of its best seasons. The Gators went a combined 39-11 in those four years and won two Orange Bowls, while also playing for a Sugar Bowl and a Citrus Bowl.

Caldwell was drafted with the 48th overall pick, a second-round selection, in the 2002 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He was there through 2005 until he was not re-signed by San Diego. Over the next three NFL seasons, Caldwell was signed to one-year contracts by the New England Patriots, Washington Redskins and St. Louis Rams before ending his NFL career. Over the course of his NFL career, he had 152 catches for 1,851 yards and 11 touchdowns.




After Caldwell's NFL career was over, he still managed some headlines. Unfortunately, they weren't positive. In 2014, Caldwell was arrested for drug possession and intent to distribute, something that he carried out across the street from an elementary school.

"I see now, yup, not the greatest location for that kind of thing," Caldwell told ESPN in 2016. "Too big, too fast. I laugh at my stuff too. What else can you do? I have to laugh. I really thought I was some kind of a criminal? All I know is, everyone kept telling me, 'The police don't care about this stuff, you'll never get caught,' and the next thing I know I'm headed to prison, saying goodbye to my kids, wondering: 'What happened to me?'"

Caldwell also pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in January of 2016.

[Jackie Daytona]

RIP...... Hope he finds some peace, he lived a pretty troubled life.... Saw where his brother thinks that AFC championship game where he dropped a few passes haunted him to the end..... Poor guy.

[Dingus McGirt]

RIP to the most unfortunate participant in one of the strangest plays I’ve seen.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

RIP big guy and my condolences to your family and friends.

[shakedownstreet]

[w87r]

4 hours ago, shakedownstreet said:

R.I.P.

[shakedownstreet]

I can't get over seeing that look in his eyes that game and knowing the Colt's had that game won

 

No one can argue he isn't a large part of the story of the Indianapolis Colts 2006 SuperBowl victory

 

It was a lot of fun!

[DougDew]

I don't wish anybody an untimely death, nor do I want to seem cold hearted, but how did he contribute to society in any significant way in order to garner so much sorrow and respect over his departure?  Just seems like a person who made the wrong choices about things, and was in an area where apparently people ambush and rob other people.  

 

Apologies for being cold hearted, but there are some correlations here, no?

[ColtJax]

This type of crap is all too common, 17 in Chicago this past weekend. But if the mob can't spin it political it doesn't matter...

[CF4L]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/06/14/no-suspects-yet-in-the-murder-of-reche-caldwell/

No suspects yet in the murder of Reche Caldwell

More than a week ago, former NFL receiver Reche Caldwell was shot and killed in Tampa. To date, police have identified no suspects.

According to FOX13News.com, police haven’t even identified a person of interest.

Family and friends, per FOX13, believe Caldwell was a robbery target. The authorities, however, have not yet confirmed this.

A vigil was held recently for the 41-year-old Caldwell, a second-round pick of the Chargers in 2002 who also played for the Patriots and Washington.