TEMPE, Ariz. — Former NFL defensive lineman Josh Mauro died from an acute combination of fentanyl, cocaine and ethanol intoxication, according to online records from the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner. The report said the 35-year-old died April 23 and classified the death as accidental.
Mauro played eight seasons in the NFL, including six with the Arizona Cardinals and one each with the New York Giants and the then-Oakland Raiders, the report said. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds in the report, his most productive year came in 2016 with the Cardinals when he played in 15 games, starting 13 and finishing with 32 tackles.
The report noted Mauro played college football at Stanford and that his final NFL season was with the Cardinals in 2021. Over his career he appeared in 80 total NFL games, started 40 and recorded five sacks, according to the records.
The Cardinals issued a statement April 28 saying they were heartbroken by Mauro’s passing and extended their deepest condolences to his family, friends and all who knew him, per the report. The team expressed sympathy for everyone grieving the loss.
The medical examiner’s online records provide the cause and manner of death as recorded by the office. The report’s findings and the team statement together mark the official public details released about Mauro’s passing.
