OJ Murdock was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday morning in Tampa, Florida.TAMPA, Fla. -
Tennessee Titans wide receiver OJ Murdock was found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday morning in Tampa, Florida.
Local police said officers discovered his body in his car in front of Middleton High School where he was a former standout.
Murdock was transported to Tampa General Hospital in critical condition. He died at 10:43 a.m. local time.
Murdock was signed by the Titans as an undrafted free agent in July of 2011.
He spent the entire 2011 season on injured reserve after suffering a right Achilles injury early in his rookie training camp.
"Murdock did not originally report to Titans' training camp over the weekend because what the team said was personal issues," Jonathan Hutton of 104.5 The Zone said.
Head coach Mike Munchak said he spoke with Murdock on Friday.
At that time, Murdock said he planned to be in Nashville on Sunday.
Munchak also added he nor any of the players had no indication of how deep Murdock's issues were.
"It's a phone call that you never want to get and is something as a head coach that you don't think you will have to get in front of your team and give them that type of news. I think everyone was shocked by it and no one, we weren't aware that there were issues going on," Munchak said.
General manager Ruston Webster added, "It's a very difficult day and our hearts go out to his family, his mother and his father. Like I said it's tough whenever you lose somebody, especially that young."
In a statement, the Titans said, "We are shocked and saddened to hear of OJ Murdock's death this morning. In his brief time here, a number of our players, coaches and staff had grown close to OJ, and this is a difficult time for them."
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they try to cope with this tragedy," the statement concluded.
Murdock spent two seasons at Fort Hays State after beginning his career at the University of South Carolina and then Pearl River Community College.
He was 25 years old.
