Dontae Walker, a former Mississippi State Bulldogs running back who played in more than 40 games for the team from 1999 to 2002, has died, the school announced Saturday. He was 44 years old.
Mississippi State released a statement about X: “The Mississippi State family mourns the passing of Dontae Walker. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and teammates.”
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Mississippi State Bulldogs (Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports)
Walker started with the Bulldogs in 1999 and had a solid freshman season, rushing for 384 yards and three touchdowns. He really stood out in 2000 and 2001 when he rushed for over 1,200 yards with 14 touchdowns over the course of those seasons. He also played in the 2000 Independence Bowl, known as “The Snow Bowl.”
However, Walker’s tenure with Mississippi State came to a tumultuous end, as he only appeared in eight games in 2002 and was cut from the team before the year was over. In the final game of his college career, Walker heard boos from fans when he heard his name called. Then he walked towards the locker room.
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He told the Clarion-Ledger in 2013 that he wished he had blocked out the noise at the time.
“There was more applause than boos, but when I heard those boos, I couldn’t stand them,” he told the newspaper. “I did a lot for Mississippi State by winning bowl games and helping recruit players there. It was a painful feeling, but I learned from it.”
He finished his career with 1,875 rushing yards and 22 career rushing touchdowns.
Walker’s life off the field was derailed when he was arrested for marijuana and cocaine possession in 2005. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison but was released in 2009.
Walker was playing for the Birmingham Steeldogs of the Arena Football League at the time of his arrest.
He never had the opportunity to play in the NFL, but earned a bachelor’s degree from Belhaven University in 2013.
