Former University of Michigan Football Star Dead at 33
Craig Roh, known to many for his years playing for the University of Michigan football team, has died at the age of 33. His wife announced his death on social media and confirmed it was due to stage IV colon cancer, which Roh fought quietly out of the spotlight.
"After an 18-month battle with stage IV colon cancer, God brought Craig home on Monday, February 26th," his wife Chelsea wrote on his Instagram. "Craig was not very public with his battle, as he truly just wanted to focus on bringing the best content and building the best products he could."
After graduating from the University of Michigan, Roh was signed as a free agent by the Carolina Panthers in 2013. He was released the following year and took his talents further north, playing for the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 seasons. After that, he spent a year with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before retiring from the league.
As a former defensive lineman, Roh used his experience to help cultivate better players and coaches to come after him. This included sharing "daily D-line tips" on his social media for up-and-coming players looking to get advice from a professional. "In classic Craig fashion, he was working on posts and future plans for D-line University until the very end," Chelsea said. "He loved coaching and it carried him through his hardest days."
"As we mourn and figure out what life looks like next, we will be back with future plans that Craig laid out," she concluded. For now, she shared a GoFundMe to help with the family's medical and living costs.
Roh is survived by his wife Chelsea and their son Max, who was born in 2021.