Former USC All-American center Max Tuerk has died at age 26, the school announced Sunday.
No cause of death was specified.
“Heartbroken by the loss of Max Tuerk,” USC coach Clay Helton wrote on Twitter. “Incredible person, teammate, and Trojan. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”
Heartbroken by the loss of Max Tuerk. Incredible person, teammate, and Trojan. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
— Clay Helton (@USCCoachHelton) June 21, 2020
Tuerk was named a Freshman All-American in 2012 and selected to the All-Pac-12 first team as a junior in 2014, before an ACL injury cut short his senior season.
The San Diego Chargers drafted him early in the third round in 2016, but he spent the entire season as a healthy scratch. He was suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2017 season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, after which the Chargers cut him.
Tuerk then signed with the Arizona Cardinals and made his only appearance in an NFL game for one play in Week 16.