Former Jacksonville Jaguars player Uche Nwaneri, who advocated jailing those who refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine, died suddenly on Friday, December 30, 2022, at the age of 38. His death sparked a lot of speculation and controversy online, with some people claiming that he died as a result of taking the COVID-19 vaccine. But is there any truth to these allegations? What was the actual cause of death of Uche Nwaneri?
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Uche Nwaneri’s Life and Career
Uche Nwaneri was born on March 20, 1984, in Dallas, Texas, to Nigerian immigrants who moved to the United States in the 1970s. His full name was Uchechukwu Eberechukwu Nwaneri. He attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, where he played college football as an offensive guard. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft and played seven seasons with the team, starting 92 of 104 games. He was part of the offensive line that helped running back Maurice Jones-Drew win the 2011 NFL rushing title with a franchise-record 1,606 yards. He also played in the playoffs in 2007 with the Jaguars. He was released by the Jaguars in 2014 and briefly signed with the Dallas Cowboys before retiring from football.
After his football career, Nwaneri became a YouTube personality and hosted a show called “The Observant Lineman”, where he and other former players analyzed game tape and discussed various topics related to football and sports. He had over 21,000 subscribers on his channel and his last show was uploaded two weeks before his death. He was also active on Twitter, where he had over 17,000 followers and frequently interacted with his fans and shared his opinions on various issues.
Uche Nwaneri’s Death and Autopsy
Nwaneri died suddenly in his wife’s home in West Lafayette, Indiana, on Friday, December 30, 2022. According to the Lafayette Journal and Courier, his wife found him unresponsive in a bedroom around 1 a.m. and called 911. The West Lafayette police and Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello arrived at the scene and pronounced him dead. An autopsy was performed on Monday, January 3, 2023, and found no signs of foul play or trauma. Preliminary results indicated a possible heart attack as the cause of death, but toxicology tests were still pending to confirm or rule out any other factors.
Uche Nwaneri’s Stance on COVID-19 Vaccine
Nwaneri was a vocal advocate for taking the COVID-19 vaccine and urged people to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others from the deadly virus. He also expressed his frustration and anger at those who refused to take the vaccine or spread misinformation about it. In one of his tweets on August 5, 2021, he wrote:
“I’m sorry but if you’re not vaccinated at this point you should be jailed for endangering public health & safety. You’re literally killing people & you don’t care because you’re selfish & ignorant.”
He also shared several articles and videos that debunked common myths and conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 vaccine and encouraged people to do their own research and trust science. He revealed that he was fully vaccinated himself and did not experience any adverse effects from it.
Did the COVID-19 Vaccine Kill Uche Nwaneri?
Some people online have speculated that Nwaneri’s death was caused by the COVID-19 vaccine that he took and that he was a victim of a cover-up by the authorities and the media. They have pointed to his tweet about jailing unvaccinated people as evidence of his hypocrisy and karma. They have also cited other cases of people who allegedly died or suffered serious health problems after taking the COVID-19 vaccine.
However, there is no scientific or medical proof that the COVID-19 vaccine caused or contributed to Nwaneri’s death. The autopsy results did not show any signs of inflammation or damage to his heart or other organs that could be linked to the vaccine. The coroner also stated that there was no indication that Nwaneri had any underlying health conditions or risk factors that could predispose him to a heart attack. The toxicology tests are still pending, but they are unlikely to reveal anything that would change the preliminary diagnosis of a possible heart attack.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the United States as of January 4, 2023, and they have been proven to be safe and effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. The CDC also monitors the safety of COVID-19 vaccines through various systems and reports any serious or unexpected adverse events that occur after vaccination. The most common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, as well as tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea. These side effects are usually mild and go away within a few days. The CDC also states that there is a very rare but serious risk of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart) after receiving mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), especially among young males. However, these cases are typically mild and resolve quickly with treatment. The CDC also emphasizes that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risks of these rare complications.
Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the COVID-19 vaccine killed Uche Nwaneri or had anything to do with his death. His death was most likely a tragic and unfortunate event that could not have been predicted or prevented. It is also disrespectful and insensitive to use his death as a way to promote anti-vaccine agendas or conspiracy theories. Instead of spreading misinformation and rumors, we should honor his memory and legacy as a talented football player, a passionate sports analyst, and a caring human being who wanted to make the world a better place.
