Breaking News - Enis Haywood Cowboys Running Back Dead - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Drbio · 05-11-2003, 05:23 PM

ESPN is reporting that he is dead but no information is available. Anyone hear anything?

terrible news.

Drbio · 05-11-2003, 08:08 PM

Cause of Haywood's death unknown

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Associated Press

DALLAS -- Dallas Cowboys running back Ennis Haywood died Sunday, a day after being placed on life support with an undisclosed illness. He was 23.

Haywood died at Medical Center of Arlington, hospital spokeswoman Diane Stout said.

"The cause of death at this time is unknown,'' she told The Associated Press. She said she doesn't know what Haywood was being treated for.

Haywood was taken to the hospital early Saturday after waking up feeling ill and vomiting, Iowa State director of media relations Tom Kroeschell told The Associated Press on Sunday. Kroeschell said he got the information about the former Cyclones player from the school's football coach, Dan McCarney.

Haywood participated in the Cowboys' three-day minicamp last week and was expected to compete for a roster spot at halfback.

Haywood, an undrafted free agent, was on the Cowboys' practice squad last season. He led the team in rushing in the preseason with 120 yards on 31 carries.

"This is a time to offer support and deepest sympathy to the family,'' Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "Our hearts go out to them. This is a tragedy involving a person who was very well-liked and respected by anyone who had the opportunity to know him.''

Haywood ranks fifth in career rushing at Iowa State with 2,862 yards, and sixth in touchdowns with 27. As a senior, he ran for 1,169 yards and 14 touchdowns to lead the Big 12.

"Like everyone in the Cyclones' football family, we are shocked and saddened beyond words,'' McCarney said Sunday. "Ennis was one of the classiest gentlemen there has ever been, on and off the field. He was an unbelievable competitor, and one of the most tenacious football players I've ever been around.''

The Dallas Morning News first reported that Haywood was hospitalized in its Sunday editions. The newspaper said Haywood remained on life support late Saturday and that he had stopped breathing early Saturday.

Drbio · 05-11-2003, 08:11 PM

Cowboys' Haywood dies of unknown causes
05/12/2003

By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING – Cowboys running back Ennis Haywood, a Carter High School graduate, died Sunday afternoon after a brief illness that began Saturday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

He was 23.

"Mr. Haywood died at 3:27 p.m.," said Diane Stout of Medical Center of Arlington. "The cause of death is unknown."

Stout said an autopsy would be performed in the next few days to determine the cause of death.

Angela Jernigan, Haywood's sister-in-law, said he began vomiting in his sleep about 4 a.m. Saturday. She said he stopped breathing about 6 a.m., prompting the family to call 911.

Haywood was placed on life support at the hospital.

"This is a time to offer support and our deepest sympathy to the family," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who spent much of Sunday at the hospital with Haywood's family.

"Our hearts go out to them. This is a tragedy involving a person who was very well-liked and respected by anyone who had the opportunity to know him."

Haywood participated in the club's three-day mini-camp last week and was expected to compete for a roster spot at halfback. Players receive physical exams before the mini-camp begins.

Haywood worked out four days per week at 7:30 a.m with the first of four exercise groups. On Friday, he completed four 300-yard sprints with 1:30 rest between each run.

"He was blazing," veteran safety Darren Woodson said. "I was winded after the third one and he was talking and joking.

"We had a running joke between us. He always said he wasn't going to run me into the ground when we were running, but he always did."

Haywood, an undrafted free agent from Iowa State, made the practice squad because the Cowboys liked his punishing running style and his muscular 5-10, 229-pound body. He led the team in rushing during preseason with 120 yards on 31 carries with a long of 36.

But it was his attitude that impressed Woodson.

"He was a good kid - the kind you want to do well," Woodson said. "He was quiet, humble and he had big dreams. He was always smiling. You could never look at Ennis and tell whether he was having a bad day."

Haywood excelled at Iowa State.

He finished fifth on the club's all-time rushing list with 2,862 yards and sixth in touchdowns (27). As a senior, he rushed for 1,169 yards and 14 touchdowns to lead the conference.

"Ennis made me a better coach. He was the heart and soul of the turnaround that our program made," said Iowa State football coach Dan McCarney. "He was one of the classiest people that we've ever had in the program and one of the most tenacious players we've ever had on the field."

At Carter High School he was an honor student with a 3.5 grade-point average. He was also a person, who never forgot his roots.

"He always talked about going back to South Dallas and giving back to the community," Woodson said. "He was a South Dallas kid. That's where his heart was and that's who he wanted to help.

"When we walk in the locker room on Monday, you'll know he's not there. It's going to be tough."

FINtastic · 05-12-2003, 12:41 AM

This is horrible. I remember liking him last pre-season. It's sad when a guy dies so unexpectedly, and it makes me wonder what happened. My prayers go out to his family.

FINtastic · 05-12-2003, 12:44 AM

I wonder if it was drugs or maybe a supplement. I just find it odd the way he died. Sounds like a good guy. Kind of depressing.

ames7 · 05-12-2003, 01:23 AM

That's terrible. Thoughts & prayers for his family.

FilthyFinMavs · 05-12-2003, 07:18 PM

<< I wonder if it was drugs or maybe a supplement. I just find it odd the way he died. Sounds like a good guy. Kind of depressing. >>

I hate to say this because this is terrible news and well I feel in a way I am being disrespectful to the guy but who was the other Cowboy who died but people didnt know the cause? Wasn't it Mark Tuinai(sp?)? I prayers go out to his family. I just can't imagine how it feels for someones mother to know that there son is dead at the age of 23. Just horrible. I'm not gonna lie I didn't know much about the guy I remember him a couple of times last season but never knew him as much as I know guys like Wiley and Hambrick. Horrible news.

reeds · 05-12-2003, 07:58 PM

Very sad. I hope Jones does something above and beyond for the family. Besides the life insurance, perhaps tell the family he would have made the team and give them his salary...just a thought..

Drbio · 05-12-2003, 08:44 PM

FFM- Tuinei died of an a drug overdose.

It kinds of sickens me to see the drug card played. There was no indication of that early on. It's probably just an unfortunate thing. Maybe he had an anuerism or somesuch. very sad.

Just211 · 05-12-2003, 08:53 PM

wouldn't an anuerism be detected in an autopsy?? It's been reported autopsy revealed nothing, and they have to wait 6-8 weeks for tissue samples. I feel really bad for the family, because it's really hard to have any kind of closure when there's no given reason for his death.

LRB · 05-12-2003, 09:01 PM

Very sad and tragic.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

Drbio · 05-12-2003, 09:09 PM

Just an example 211.....for the record, yes it probably would . But it depends on where one happened.

Just211 · 05-12-2003, 09:14 PM

I just hope that they do figure it out, for the family's sake.

Drbio · 05-12-2003, 10:09 PM

I think we can all agree on that.

Murphy3 · 05-13-2003, 10:30 PM

from what i have gathered from some medical experts, if the cause were drug or alcohol related, it would have come out by now..within a very, very short period of time, they would have known the toxicology report.. in all likeliness, even before the time of death