Alex Collins dies at 28: Russell Wilson, Robert Griffin III pay tribute to former Ravens, Seahawks RB after death

Dan Treacy

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Alex Collins dies at 28: Russell Wilson, Robert Griffin III pay tribute to former Ravens, Seahawks RB after death image

Alex Collins, a running back who played five seasons in the NFL, has died at the age of 28.

The former Arkansas running back was involved in a motorcycle crash in Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. on Sunday night. The crash was announced by the Broward County Sheriff's Office in a news release.

Collins crashed into a left-turning SUV on West Oakland Park Boulevard, per the report. Collins' motorcycle hit the rear passenger side of the SUV; the impact of the collision caused Collins to go through the rear passenger side window of the vehicle before coming to rest inside the car.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Collins' most notable NFL seasons came with the Ravens. He was Baltimore's leading rusher in 2017, totaling 973 yards and six touchdowns on a team that finished 9-7. Collins had two stints in Seattle. The first was the 2016 season, which he spent in Seattle after being selected by the team in the 2016 NFL Draft; the second encompassed parts of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Collins was a standout at Arkansas, finishing as the Razorbacks' second-leading rusher all-time with 3,703 yards. He totaled 1,577 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground as a junior in 2015.

The Ravens described Collins in a statement as "a genuinely kind person who carried a special passion and joy wherever he went."

Shortly after the Ravens announced the news, the Seahawks posted a tweet that said the organization was "absolutely heartbroken" over Collins' passing.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh released a statement of his own, calling Collins "a great teammate who had an uplifting spirit that impacted everyone he encountered." 

Russell Wilson posted a heartfelt tribute to Collins, calling him one of his favorite teammates.

Arkansas football described Collins as a "legendary Razorback and an even better person."

Sadly, Collins is the second Arkansas great to die unexpectedly this year. The Razorbacks mourned the loss of former quarterback Ryan Mallett — who played with Collins on the Ravens in 2017 — after he drowned in June at age 35.

Several reporters fondly remembered Collins' passion for Irish dancing, which he brought with him to the football field.

Collins' agent, Kelli Masters, remembered the former Raven's "positive, caring spirit." 

Robert Griffin III remembered his former Ravens teammate on Monday night.

It's been a difficult two years for the Ravens, who have seen several former players die at young ages. In addition to Collins and Mallett, the team lost both former edge rusher Jaylon Ferguson, 26, and ex-defensive lineman Tony Siragusa, 55, in 2022.

Dan Treacy

Dan Treacy Photo

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.