Former NFL Player Stanley Wilson Jr.'s Official Cause Of Death Revealed

By Jason Hall

July 14, 2023

Detroit Lions 2007 Headshots
Photo: Getty Images

Former NFL cornerback Stanley Wilson Jr. died from a pulmonary thromboembolism likely caused by a blood clot in a deep vein, according to an official autopsy report obtained by TMZ Sports on Thursday (July 13).

Wilson, 40, died in Los Angeles on February 1 after officials initially said he collapsed suddenly while at a hospital and never regained consciousness. The former cornerback's family doubted the explanation and hired an attorney for three lawsuits, accusing against Los Angeles County officials of having "grossly misrepresented the cause and circumstances of Stanley Wilson Jr.'s death," the court filings stated via TMZ Sports.

The autopsy report obtained by TMZ Sports on Thursday was conducted by a medical examiner in Los Angeles on February 4. A pulmonary thromboembolism is described by the Mayo Clinic's website as a "blood clot that blocks and stops blood flow to an artery in the lung. In most cases, the blood clot starts in a deep vein in the leg and travels to the lung."

Wilson's death report did mention "red abrasions" to his "forehead, right hand, and right knee," but said they were "superficial." The 40-year-old was in a prescreening area of a hospital and had complained about anxiety before collapsing, at which point paramedics rushed to the scene but were unable to save him.

Wilson's family hasn't yet publicly addressed the new details regarding his death.

Wilson, who played for the Detroit Lions for three seasons, is the son of former Cincinnati Bengals running back Stanley Wilson Sr. The 40-year-old recorded 89 tackles, eight pass deflections and one forced fumble during his NFL career.

Wilson was charged with two felony counts of vandalism and one count of second-degree burglary in relation to the August 2022 incident. The former cornerback was accused of breaking into the $30 million home on two separate occasions, with the most recent incident taking place on August 24.

Wilson reportedly moved and damaged items -- with an estimated $5,000 worth of damages committed -- before taking a bath in an outside fountain with soap he found inside the home, according to TMZ Sports. Wilson was previously arrested for an attempted break-in at a Portland, Oregon home while naked in June 2016, which resulted in him being shot in the abdomen.

Wilson was also arrested for walking around naked in a Portland neighborhood in January 2017.

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