Clemson football ‘deeply saddened’ after death of former player Kaleb Boateng
The Clemson football team is paying tribute to former offensive lineman Kaleb Boateng after receiving reports of his death Thursday night.
The team said in a tweet Friday morning that “our hearts are heavy” after receiving news of Boateng’s death. Boateng, 21, played two seasons at Clemson from 2019 to 2020 before joining Florida as a preferred walk-on in 2021.
UF confirmed Boateng’s death later on Friday.
A cause of death wasn’t immediately known.
“We are deeply saddened to hear the news of Kaleb’s passing,” coach Dabo Swinney said in a statement. “This is a very tragic and sad situation. Our prayers are with his family. While he was only here a couple of years before moving on, we remember Kaleb as being a good teammate and always having a good spirit to him. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and all of those who were blessed to know him.”
Boateng signed with Clemson in 2019 as an offensive tackle recruit from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) High School and played 26 career snaps over five games and two seasons with the Tigers.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2021, he transferred to Florida as a preferred walk-on. Boateng was on the team’s roster and didn’t appear in any games in 2021, and he wasn’t listed on the Gators’ 2022 online roster. According to AllGators.com, he’d left the team about a month before the season started in September.
“It’s hard to find the words in a moment like this,” Florida coach Billy Napier said Friday on Twitter. “This is a phone call you never want to receive as a parent or as a coach - especially about a former player. Although our time was short together, Kaleb was a Gator. He was a beloved friend, son and teammate.”
Florida’s university athletic association also released a statement Friday: “We are extremely saddened by the news regarding former football team member Kaleb Boateng. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Florida said the UAA’s team of “mental health and grief counselors are available to assist the needs of all of or student-athletes and staff.”
Former Clemson running back Darien Rencher tweeted late Thursday night that Boateng’s death was “(the) worst news you can get about a former teammate,” adding a broken heart emoji.
“Such a genuine person,” Clemson center Will Putnam wrote. “May he rest in peace. Check in on your people.”
Kaleb Boateng tributes
This story was originally published February 10, 2023 at 8:51 AM.
