A former NFL defensive lineman who once sacked quarterbacks for the Eagles and Raiders now lies dead in a Los Angeles homeless encampment, his life ending not on the field but in the streets where untreated brain trauma and forgotten dreams collided with violence.

From Playing Field to Concrete

Kevin Johnson’s trajectory reads like a cautionary tale written in statistics and regret. A Texas Southern University standout, he entered professional football through the NFL draft in 1993, selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round. Though he never suited up for New England, Johnson found his footing with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995, appearing in 23 games over two seasons and recording 43 tackles, seven sacks, and one fumble return touchdown. His 1997 stint with the Oakland Raiders added 15 games and 11 tackles to his resume. After his NFL window closed, Johnson continued playing in the Arena Football League, appearing for the Orlando Predators and Los Angeles Avengers.

The statistics tell only part of the story. What they cannot capture is the moment professional relevance evaporates, when the roar of crowds fades to silence and a body that once generated millions in revenue becomes just another person struggling to survive. For Johnson, that moment arrived around 2001 when his playing days ended. What followed was a descent that friends and family traced directly to the physical toll of professional football.

The Silent Injury Nobody Addresses

Bruce Todd, Johnson’s best friend and best man at his wedding, described him as a wonderful, fun-loving man who remained community-focused despite his struggles. Yet Todd also linked Johnson’s homelessness to possible chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain condition caused by repeated head trauma that has become synonymous with football’s darker legacy. Johnson’s health deteriorated after his career ended, and by the time authorities found him on a Wednesday morning in January at the Willowbrook encampment in South Los Angeles, he had been living in the streets of his hometown.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Johnson’s homelessness during their investigation. Lieutenant Steve De Jong stated, “Unfortunately, it appears he was homeless and probably living there.” This clinical observation masks a systemic failure: a professional athlete whose brain bore the scars of his profession, whose health crumbled without adequate support systems, and whose final years unfolded in obscurity and danger rather than dignity.

Violence in the Margins

On Wednesday morning just before 8 a.m., deputies responded to a report of an unconscious man at the encampment. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the manner of death a homicide, citing blunt head trauma and stab wounds as the cause. As of January 23, 2026, the investigation remains active with no suspects named. Authorities continue seeking witnesses who may have information about the circumstances surrounding his death.

Johnson’s death illuminates a darker reality about homelessness in America’s sprawling urban centers. Willowbrook, an unincorporated area in South Los Angeles County, carries the weight of chronic homelessness and encampment proliferation. Violence in these spaces often goes unreported, unprosecuted, and unmourned by mainstream society. Yet when the victim is a former professional athlete, the story gains traction, forcing uncomfortable conversations about what happens to players after their usefulness expires.

Former Eagles, Raiders player Kevin Johnson found dead in Los Angeles https://t.co/v0ewVWkk6d

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) January 23, 2026

A System That Forgets

Johnson’s case exemplifies broader patterns among NFL alumni facing post-career struggles. The league generates billions annually while players absorb cumulative neurological damage that manifests years or decades later. CTE cannot be diagnosed in living patients, only confirmed posthumously, which means countless former players navigate cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and health crises without formal recognition or targeted intervention. Johnson’s friends believe he suffered from this condition, though medical confirmation remains speculative without autopsy results specific to CTE pathology.

The contrast cuts sharply: Johnson played professional football in stadiums filled with thousands, his name in box scores and highlight reels, his body worth millions to franchises. Decades later, he died in an encampment where few knew his name or history. His death forces uncomfortable questions about athlete welfare systems, mental health support for former players, and society’s obligation to those whose bodies built entertainment empires. The homicide investigation will focus on who killed Kevin Johnson. The harder investigation concerns who failed him long before that final morning in Willowbrook.

Sources:

Former NFL Defensive Lineman Stabbed to Death in Los Angeles, Records Show

Kevin Johnson NFL Player Found Dead in Los Angeles, California Homeless Encampment