Korey Cunningham, ex-Giants offensive lineman, dead at 28
Former Giants offensive lineman Korey Cunningham was found dead at his home in Clifton, N.J., on Thursday.
He was 28.
Law enforcement officials told local outlet RLS Media that his death was self-inflicted.
Cunningham spent two seasons with the Giants, from 2021-22, and appeared in 13 games with the team.
“We are saddened to hear of the passing of Korey Cunningham,” the Giants wrote in a statement Friday morning. “He was a vital part of the spirit and camaraderie of the locker room. Our thoughts are with Korey’s family, friends and teammates.”
An unconscious man was reported at the residence Thursday, according to RLS Media, and police and emergency services arrived around 3:30 p.m. before the medical examiner removed the body roughly an hour later.
After playing collegiately at Cincinnati, Cunningham was selected in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cardinals.
He appeared in six games with the Cardinals — all starts — as a rookie, then was traded to the Patriots for a sixth-round pick. Cunningham spent two seasons with the Patriots, appearing in 12 games.
A plethora of Cunningham’s former teammates shared their heartbreak.
“Damn man,” Saquon Barkley, who played with Cunningham on the Giants, wrote on X.
“RIP Big Country man easily one of the happiest and best teammates i ever had fly high big fella,” Darius Slayton, who was also Giants teammates with Cunningham, posted on X.
Justin Pugh, who’s had two stints with the Giants but was with the Cardinals when they drafted Cunningham, shared a heartwarming story about his former teammate.
“We would invite him to the OL dinner every week even though he wasn’t on the team [on the practice squad] which doesn’t happen…ever,” Pugh wrote on X. “Team dinners are for players on the team only. Except for Korey….solely because he was beloved by all the guys regardless if you knew him or not! He’d tell stories and we’d laugh our asses off all night.
“Today is a sad day but I’ll always remember the good times and the laughs. Everyone who knew Korey Cunningham was better for it. The world lost a great soul.”
Giants kicker Graham Gano, who was teammates with Cunningham on Big Blue, also expressed his condolences.
“I’ll never understand this one,” Gano captioned a photo of he and Cunningham posted on X. “I genuinely loved this man. Just tried FaceTiming you this morning and then I found out the news a couple minutes later. I had so many laughs with you my brother, and this morning I cried for you.
“Brittany [Gano’s wife] and I were blessed knowing you and I’ll forever be grateful for that.”
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