Former Cal Standout Football Player Sean Dawkins Dies At 52

BERKELEY, CA — Sean Dawkins, a New Jersey native and former Cal Bears standout wide receiver who played nine seasons in the NFL, most notably for the Indianapolis Colts, died Wednesday. He was 52.

A cause of death wasn't immediately announced.

“Rest in peace, Sean Dawkins,” Colts owner Jim Irsay posted on X, formally known as Twitter. “I am shocked and saddened. My prayers and condolences to Sean’s family.”

Dawkins was a first-round pick in the 1993 NFL draft. He played with the Colts, Saints, Seahawks, and Jaguars, and played for the Colts' playoff teams in 1994 and 1995.

Dawkins, a 6-foot-4-inch tall receiver, was born Feb. 3, 1971, in Red Bank, New Jersey. He grew up in the Sunnyvale area in the Bay Area and attended Homestead High School in Cupertino, California. Dawkins went on to become a star at University of California, Berkeley, helping the team win the Copper Bowl in 1990 over the Wyoming Cowboys.

In 1992, Dawkins caught 14 touchdowns and amassed over 1,000yards on 65 catches. He tallied 31 receiving touchdowns over three seasons at Cal, a record that still stands.

He was inducted into the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.

Former Cal quarterback Mike Pawlawski remembered helping host Dawkins during a recruiting visit.

"As soon as he stepped on campus, everybody knew. He was not red-shirting. He was so talented," Pawlawski said, according to Sports Illustrated.

Former Colt Dr. Derwin L. Gray remembered Dawkins on X.

"Another one of my teammates, Sean Dawkins has passed away at age 52," he tweeted. "Sean and I were in the Colts 1993 Draft Class. He was one of the first big WR in the NFL at 6'5, 220. He was elegant, such a marvelous football player. Tough day."