Josh Mauro Dies At 35, Family Confirms After Former Cardinals And Giants Career

Former NFL defensive end Josh Mauro has died at the age of 35, according to multiple reports that cite confirmations from his family and former teams.

“- Published Former NFL player Josh Mauro has died at the age of 35”

BBC

ESPN said Mauro “has died” at 35 and that “A cause of death was not given,” while the BBC reported that his father Greg confirmed on social media that Mauro died “last Thursday” and that “His cause of death has not been revealed.”

BBC

The Guardian also reported that Mauro’s father Greg confirmed the news in a Facebook post, quoting Greg’s message that “On Thursday, April 23rd, Josh breathed his last breath on this earth and his first breath in heaven.”

USA Today similarly said Mauro’s family announced his death in a social media post and that he died on April 23, while NBC Sports reported that “The cause of death is unknown” and that the Raiders announced Mauro’s death.

The BBC and ESPN both described Mauro as a defensive end, with the BBC adding that he played 80 games between 2014 and 2021, “most of them for the Arizona Cardinals.”

Across the coverage, the common thread is that no cause of death was publicly provided, with ESPN stating “A cause of death was not given” and the BBC saying “His cause of death has not been revealed.”

The reports repeatedly return to a statement attributed to Mauro’s father, Greg, posted on social media, which framed the death in religious terms and provided a specific timeline.

The BBC said Greg confirmed on social media that Mauro died “last Thursday,” and it quoted Cardinals’ statement that “We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Josh Mauro,” adding that “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and all who knew him.”

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GB News reproduced Greg’s message, writing that “On Thursday, April 23, Josh breathed his last breath on this earth and his first breath in heaven,” and it described the family’s grief as “devastating loss.”

The Guardian likewise quoted Greg’s Facebook post, including the line “With many tears and broken hearts, yet anchored in the unshakable certainty that our precious Josh Mauro is now healed and made new — living in the presence of the Lord — we humbly covet your prayers.”

USA Today also quoted the same statement, including “Josh breathed his last breath on this earth and his first breath in heaven,” and it said Greg Mauro announced the date as April 23.

Across these accounts, the date “April 23” and the “On Thursday” phrasing appear as the key temporal anchor, while the cause of death remains undisclosed in the reporting.

Mauro’s NFL career is described in detail across the reports, with consistent references to his position as a defensive end and his time with the Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

“The Arizona Cardinals and NFL community mourn as Josh Mauro’s family confirms his passing, with heartfelt tributes recalling his career, character, and legacy both on and off the field”

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The BBC said he “played 80 games between 2014 and 2021, most of them for the Arizona Cardinals,” and it listed that he also played for “the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars.”

ESPN said he “played eight seasons for three different teams,” and it specified “the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders and Mauro's family confirmed on social media,” while also stating that he played “six seasons with the Cardinals and one each with theNew York Giantsand then-Oakland Raiders.”

NBC Sports provided a career stat line, saying Mauro “played 80 games with 40 starts and totaled 130 tackles, five sacks, 13 quarterback hits, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles.”

The Guardian described his eight-year NFL career as “with the Cardinals (2014-17 and 2020-21), Giants (2018) and Raiders (2019),” and it added that he “finished his career with 150 tackles and five sacks over 80 games.”

Even where outlets differed on certain totals, the team list and the defensive end role remained consistent, including his final season with the Cardinals in 2021 as described by ESPN and the BBC.

Tributes in the reporting came from Mauro’s former teams and from individuals who worked with him, including Cardinals personnel and a former Cardinals safety.

The BBC quoted the Cardinals’ statement: “We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Josh Mauro,” and it added, “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and all who knew him.”

Gamereactor UK

It also included a quote from former Cardinals player and executive Adrian Wilson, who said: "I had the opportunity to be around Josh for several years with [coach Bruce Arians]. "[Josh was] always in shape, always ready to go wherever he got that call. One of the things I respected most about him, you could depend on him."

The Guardian similarly quoted Wilson’s remembrance, writing: “Always in shape, always was ready to go wherever he got that call. One of the things I respected most about him. You could depend on him,” and it tied that recollection to Mauro’s work ethic.

USA Today added another voice, quoting Adrian Wilson again as “Prayers go out to Josh Mauro and his family,” and it also included a message from JJ Watt on X: “We’re losing way too many, way too young … Rest in Peace Josh.”

The Raiders also issued a statement in USA Today, saying: “The Raiders mourn the loss of Josh Mauro. ... The deepest condolences of the Raiders Family are with Josh's family and friends at this time,” while NBC Sports quoted the Raiders’ condolences as well.

While the core facts of Mauro’s age and the lack of a disclosed cause of death are consistent, the outlets diverge in how they frame his background and career statistics.

“Josh Mauro, former British-born American Football Player, who played for the Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, and Jacksonville Jaguars, has diead at the age of 35”

Gamereactor UK

The BBC said he was “born in St Albans when his father worked in the UK,” and it reported that “The family moved back to the USA when he was three,” while ESPN described his death with a location reference, saying “TEMPE, Ariz.”

GB News

The Guardian added that he “majored in management science and engineering” at Stanford, while the BBC did not include that academic detail and instead focused on his NFL games and the teams he played for.

ESPN provided a physical description, calling him “The 6-foot-6 290-pounder,” while the BBC did not mention his height or weight.

On career totals, NBC Sports said he totaled “130 tackles” and “five sacks,” while the Guardian said he “finished his career with 150 tackles and five sacks over 80 games,” and USA Today said he recorded “130 tackles, 5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.”

These differences shape how readers understand Mauro’s life and career, even as the reporting agrees on his death at 35 and the absence of a publicly stated cause.

The immediate reporting focuses on mourning and on the absence of official medical details, leaving the next steps unclear in the public record.

ESPN said “A cause of death was not given,” and the BBC similarly reported that “His cause of death has not been revealed,” while NBC Sports stated “The cause of death is unknown.”

Multiple outlets therefore emphasized condolences rather than investigation, with the Cardinals saying “We extend our deepest condolences to everyone grieving this loss,” and the Raiders issuing “The deepest condolences of the Raiders Family are with Josh’s family and friends at this time.”

The Guardian and BBC both included Adrian Wilson’s recollection of Mauro’s reliability, with Wilson saying “You could depend on him,” and that tone of remembrance dominated the coverage.

USA Today added a note that Mauro “died April 23,” and it also referenced that he “returned to Arizona and appeared in eight games across the 2020 and 2021 seasons,” situating his final NFL stretch in the timeline.

For readers trying to understand the circumstances, International Business Times UK reported that “no official cause of death has been announced,” and it said “The family did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding his death.”