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Reports: Former Miami Hurricanes receiver, Sam Bruce, passes away at 24

Stephen Samraby: Steve Samra04/28/22SamraSource

Former Miami wide receiver Sam Bruce has reportedly passed away at 24. Bruce was a star wide receiver at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida before he joined the Hurricanes in 2016.

While the cause of death is currently unknown, tributes have poured in from media members, teammates and players around the football world who knew Bruce.

“Shocked and very saddened to learn about the passing of Sam Bruce. Easily one of the most talented athletes I’ve covered,” tweeted J.T. Wilcox of the Miami Sports Tribune. “Prayers and condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.”

Additionally, former Miami and St. Thomas Aquinas wide receiver Michael Harley Jr. tweeted he was hurting after finding out the news. Elijah Moore, current New York Jets wide receiver and former Ole Miss and St. Thomas Aquinas wide receiver, also took to Twitter to share his heartbreak, sending prayers.

“Prayers up to Bruce and his family!” tweeted Moore on Thursday.

Moreover, Bruce never played a down for Miami, as the team announced his dismissal during his freshman season due to “multiple violations of team rules and a failure on his part to meet the clear expectations established to be a part of the Miami football program.”

“It was just a series of things,” Bruce told Footballville, regarding his dismissal. “Either late to meetings — my thing wasn’t really late to meetings — my thing was falling asleep in meetings. That was my thing. I get there. I’m living rockstar lifestyle.”

Afterwards, Bruce bounced around football a bit, enrolling at Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. and then Southeastern University. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Bruce said would’ve made the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League when he was 20 years old were it not for a rule where he had to be 21. Then, he played for the Frisco Fighters of the Indoor Football League, but COVID-19 shut down the league.

The football world sends their prayers to Sam Bruce, his family and his friends.