Wake Forest Heritage family remembers coach, former NFL player found dead in Raleigh hotel room
Posted July 20, 2022 9:57 a.m. EDT
Updated July 20, 2022 4:51 p.m. EDT
Raleigh, N.C. — A Super Bowl champion who taught at Heritage High School in Wake Forest has died in North Carolina at the age of 50.
Charles Johnson, a retired NFL wide receiver, was found dead on Sunday. Raleigh police told WRAL News they were called to the Hampton Inn on Spring Forest Road in Raleigh for a welfare check.
Johnson played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1994-1998. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2000, the New England Patriots in 2001 and the Buffalo Bills in 2002. He most recently worked with fellow NFL retirees as assistant athletic director at Heritage High School in Wake Forest.
The Heritage Huskies shared the news on Twitter, writing, "RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family."
Drake Johnson, who played under Johnson at Heritage, said, "He’s had nothing but a positive impact on the whole school in general. He’s meant a whole lot to the Heritage community. He was a great guy and great family friend, and he will definitely be missed."
The cause of death was not released, but Raleigh police said an investigation is ongoing.
At the time that the body was found at the Hampton Inn, police told WRAL News that they did not suspect foul play.
