St. Louis Rams tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen (43) walks off the field during an NFL football game in St. Louis in this 2013 file photo.LAGRANGE, Ga. – Former Auburn tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen, a fan favorite who played on the 2010 national championship team, has died in a one-car crash in Georgia, state police said.
Authorities said Lutzenkirchen, 23, was ejected from a 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe when it overturned several times near LaGrange early Sunday morning. He was a passenger in the vehicle.
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn called Lutzenkirchen “a great player and competitor” and “a great teammate and friend off the field.”
“This is a sad day for the entire Auburn family,” Malzahn said Sunday in a statement. “I find peace knowing that even though Philip was taken from us too soon, that he lived his life to the fullest, leaving a lifetime of great memories for his family and friends to cherish forever.”
Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said Lutzenkirchen’s death was “a devastating tragedy for his family, the Auburn family and his countless friends.”