The sports world lost some of the most iconic figures in history in 2025, including George Foreman, Hulk Hogan, Ryne Sandberg, Bob Uecker, Paul Tagliabue, Lenny Wilkens, and Sister Jean.
Athlon Sports has again put together a list in remembrance of prominent sports figures and athletes who have died in 2026.
This month-by-month list will be continually updated throughout the year.
August
- Jorge Messi (age 68): Lionel Messi's father and career advisor
- Dory Funk Jr. (age 85): Hall of Fame professional wrestler
- Ray Jarvis (age 77): 9-year NFL wide receiver, most notably with the Detroit Lions
July
- LeRoy Irvin (age 68): Four-time All-Pro NFL cornerback
- Jayden Adams (age 25): South African soccer player, 2026 World Cup participant
- Ken Bates (age 94): Former chairman of Premier League's Chelsea and Leeds United
- Al Holland (age 73): 10-year MLB pitcher, All-Star with the Philadelphia Phillies
- Greg Hawthorne (age 69): Super Bowl champion running back/receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft pick
- Phil Regan (age 89): 13-year MLB pitcher, former Baltimore Orioles manager
- Darrell Jackson (age 70): Minnesota Twins pitcher, College World Series champion
- John Parisella (age 81): Horse trainer with 1,241 career wins, including with race horses Fight Over and Simply Majestic
- Keith Mitchell (age 71): Pro Bowl NFL linebacker with the New Orleans Saints
- Jim Walden (age 88): College football head coach for Washington State and Iowa State, former CFL quarterback
- Bobby Hunt (age 85): Former Pro Bowl defensive back for the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals, NFL assistant coach
- Eddie Joyal (age 86): NHL centerman with 262 career points
- Jim Lindsey (age 81): Former Minnesota Vikings running back
- Duane Ward (age 62): Two-time World Series champion relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays
- Ron Hunt (age 85): All-Star second baseman and Montreal Expos Hall of Famer
- Janice McNair (age 89): Co-founder and former owner of the NFL's Houston Texans
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
June
- Rick Adelman (age 79): Basketball Hall of Famer, 1,042 wins as NBA head coach, 7-year career as NBA point guard
- Nic Smith (age 20): Kentucky Wildcats defensive lineman
- Gerry Meehan (age 79): Former Buffalo Sabres general manager and 10-year center
- Cliff Fletcher (age 90): Hockey Hall of Fame executive, 1989 Stanley Cup champion with Calgary Flames
- Ned Jarrett (age 93): NASCAR Hall of Fame driver
- Stacey King (age 59): Three-time NBA champion and 20-year team broadcaster with the Chicago Bulls
- Kyle Calder (age 47): 11-year NHL winger with 294 points
- Al "Red" Worthington (age 97): MLB pitcher for 14 seasons, former MLB coach, Alabama Sports Hall of Famer
- Pat Holmes (age 85): Former two-time AFL All-Star defensive lineman
- Steve Zabel (age 78): 10-year NFL veteran linebacker and former first-round draft pick
- Aldon Smith (age 36): All-Pro NFL linebacker, former No. 7 overall draft pick
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
May
- Alex Zanardi (age 59): Former Formula 1 driver and four-time Paralympic gold medalist
- Bob Skinner (age 94): Three-time MLB All-Star and World Series champion player, manager, and coach
- John Sterling (age 87): Longtime New York Yankees radio broadcaster
- Joe Senser (age 69): Pro Bowl tight end for the Minnesota Vikings
- Malcolm Anderson (age 91): Hall of Fame tennis player
- Jim Colbert (age 85): Eight-time PGA Tour winner, two-time Player of the Year on PGA Tour Champions
- Brandon Clarke (age 29): Memphis Grizzlies forward
- Jason Collins (age 47): 13-year NBA veteran center, league's first openly gay player
- Sherman Lewis (age 83): Four-time Super Bowl champion NFL assistant coach, Heisman Trophy finalist RB at Michigan State
- Kyle Busch (age 41): Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion driver
- Charlie Moore (age 72): Former MLB catcher who spent 14 seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers
- Victor Udoh (age 21): Former Southhampton soccer player
- Claude Lemieux (age 60): Four-time Stanley Cup champion, 21-year NHL winger
- Raymond Berry (age 93): Hall of Fame NFL wide receiver and former Patriots head coach
- Bobby Cox (age 84): Hall of Fame manager and World Series champion, fourth-most wins in MLB history (2,504)
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
April
- Josh Mauro (age 35): Former NFL defensive end, six seasons with Arizona Cardinals
- John Garrett (age 74): NHL and WHA goaltender and hockey broadcaster
- Monte Coleman (age 68): Three-time Super Bowl champion linebacker elected to the Washington Redskins Ring of Fame
- Dick Kimball (age 90): International Swimming Hall of Famer for diving, U.S. Olympic diving team coach
- Ellie Rodríguez (age 79): Two-time MLB All-Star catcher
- Tony Davis (age 73): Former NFL running back, Nebraska Sports Hall of Famer
- Bob Duliba (age 91): Former 7-year MLB relief pitcher
- Rod Martin (age 72): Two-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Bowl linebacker for the Raiders, holds NFL record for interceptions in a Super Bowl (3)
- Mircea Lucescu (age 80): Legendary Romanian soccer coach and player, Romania's 1970 World Cup captain
- Dave McGinnis (age 74): Former Arizona Cardinals head coach and St. Louis Rams assistant head coach
- John Fitzgerald (age 77): Dallas Cowboys center from 1970-1981, two-time Super Bowl champion
- Browning Nagle (age 57): Former NFL quarterback
- Bob Novogratz (age 89): College Football Hall of Famer, standout guard and linebacker for Army
- Billy Bryan (age 87): Former MLB catcher
- Alex Manninger (age 48): Former Arsenal and Liverpool goalkeeper
- Garret Anderson (age 53): Three-time All-Star outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels, 2002 World Series champion
- Oscar Schmidt (age 68): Basketball Hall of Famer, played for Brazilian national team for 17 years
- Phil Garner (age 76): 17-year MLB infielder, three-time All-Star, 15-year MLB manager for Brewers, Tigers and Astros, Tennessee Sports Hall of Famer
Erik Williams-Imagn Images
March
- Barret Robbins (age 52): Former NFL All-Pro center, played nine seasons with Oakland Raiders
- Jeff Siemon (age 75): Minnesota Vikings four-time Pro Bowl linebacker, College Football Hall of Famer
- Hank Nichols (age 89): Hall of Fame college basketball referee
- Tom Brown (age 89): College Football Hall of Famer, former Outland Trophy-winning offensive lineman
- Dominiq Ponder (age 23): Colorado Buffaloes quarterback
- Chase Pistone (age 42): Former NASCAR Truck Series and Xfinity Series driver
- Bob Harlan (age 89): Former Green Bay Packers president (1989-2008) and longtime executive, father of sports broadcaster Kevin Harlan
- Troy Murray (age 62): Former NHL center, broadcaster, and Stanley Cup champion, 584 career points across five teams
- Matt Snell (84): New York Jets running back and Ring of Honor member, scored the only touchdown in Super Bowl III
- Lou Holtz (age 89): Legendary college football coach and Hall of Famer, national champion with Notre Dame in 1988, former ESPN studio analyst
Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images
February
- Jeff Galloway (age 80): American Olympic runner, pioneer of the "run-walk-run" method
- Ian "Scotty" Morrison: (age 95): Hockey Hall of Famer and former chairman, youngest referee to work an NHL game (24)
- Rondale Moore (age 25): Former NFL wide receiver, Arizona Cardinals' 2021 second-round pick
- Bill Mazeroski (age 89): Baseball Hall of Famer, eight-time Gold Glove second baseman for Pittsburgh Pirates, 1960 World Series hero
- Doug Moe (age 87): Three-time ABA All-Star forward, longtime NBA head coach with 628-529 record between Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, and Philadelphia 76ers
- Tre' Johnson (age 54): Former Pro Bowl NFL offensive lineman, eight seasons with Washington
- Roy Face (age 97): Former MLB relief pitcher, six-time All-Star, Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer
- Terrance Gore (age 34): Two-time World Series champion outfielder for Kansas City Royals
- Mickey Lolich (age 85): Three-time MLB All-Star pitcher, 1968 World Series MVP
- Tracy Scroggins (age 56): Former Detroit Lions defensive end/linebacker, 10-year NFL veteran
- Chris Gilbert (age 79): College Football Hall of Fame running back with the Texas Longhorns, first player in NCAA history to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons
- Tony Fernández (age 57): 17-year MLB shortstop and four-time Gold Glover
- King T. Leatherbury (age 92): Hall of Fame racehorse trainer, fifth-most wins among U.S. trainers
- Sonny Jurgensen (age 91): Hall of Fame quarterback, five-time Pro Bowler and NFL passing leader
Manny Rubio-Imagn Images
January
- Glenn "Mr. Goalie" Hall (age 94): Hockey Hall of Famer, NHL record holder with 502 consecutive starts as a goaltender
- Randy McMillan (age 67): Former Indianapolis Colts first-round pick and leading rusher from 1984-86
- Dave Giusti (age 86): Former MLB pitcher, World Series champion with Pittsburgh Pirates
- Bob Pulford (age 89): Hockey Hall of Famer, four-time Stanley Cup champion with Toronto Maple Leafs, coached Chicago Blackhawks
- Diane Crump (age 77): American horse jockey and trainer, first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby
- Karen Vold (age 86): Hall of Fame trick rider, daughter of ProRodeo Hall of Fame rodeo clown Andy Womack
- Frank Pitts (age 82): 10-year AFL/NFL wide receiver, three-time champion with Kansas City Chiefs
- Phil Goyette (age 92): Four-time Stanley Cup champion with Montreal Canadiens, former NHL head coach
- Kevin Williams (age 55): Former Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman
- John Brodie (age 90): 1970 NFL MVP, 17-year San Francisco 49ers quarterback
- Geoffrey Mason (age 85): Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, five decades in television broadcasting, including with ESPN and ABC
