Sean Dawkins, Cal football Hall of Famer and former NFL wide receiver, dead at 52: reports

Former Cal football Hall of Famer Sean Dawkins, who played the majority of his nine years in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, has died, according to reports. He was 52. 

University officials confirmed to the San Francisco Chronicle that Dawkins passed away on Wednesday. His cause of death was not immediately known. 

A Golden Bears standout during his senior year, Dawkins was drafted by the Colts in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft. 

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Owner Jim Irsay took to X to share his condolences. 

“Rest in peace, Sean Dawkins,” Irsay said in a post Thursday. “I am shocked and saddened. My prayers and condolences to Sean’s family.” 

Dawkins played five years with the Colts, where he hauled in 251 receptions for 3,511 yards and 12 touchdowns. His best season would come in 1999 during his first year with the Seattle Seahawks,  where he caught 58 passes for 992 yards and seven touchdowns. 

He would finish out his career after just one season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Across nine NFL seasons with four different teams, Dawkins retired with 445 receptions, 6291 yards and 25 touchdowns. 

“Another one of my teammates, Sean Dawkins has passed away at age 52,” former NFL safety Dr. Derwin L. Gray said in a post on X.  

“Sean and I were in the Colts 1993 Draft Class. He was one of the first big WR in the NFL at 6’5, 220. He was elegant, such a marvelous football player. Tough day.” 

Dawkins was inducted into Cal Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. He holds program records for touchdown receptions in a career (31) and season (14 in 1992), and single-season receptions and yards (65 catches for 1070 yards in 1992), according to the school’s website.