Former Minnesota Vikings safety Orlando Thomas died Sunday night at the age of 42 after a battle with ALS, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Former Vikings safety Orlando Thomas dies of ALS at 42
Thomas led the NFL in interceptions as a rookie in 1995 and played seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
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Thomas first announced he was battling the disease in June 2007.
Thomas’ agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed the death and, in a statement released to ESPN, called Thomas an “incredible person” who battled the disease with dignity.
“Nobody’s ever fought a battle like Orlando fought, with so much dignity -- I never saw anything like it,” Bartelstein said Monday morning. “It’s just incredible. He never had a sense of self pity, never felt sorry for himself, he was always worried about everyone else. He was just the most incredible person I’ve ever been around.
The Vikings also released a statement Monday:
The Vikings are deeply saddened by the loss of Orlando Thomas. Orlando was an outstanding player for the Vikings for seven years, but more importantly, he represented the franchise and the state of Minnesota with the utmost dignity and class. While his outgoing personality made him a favorite among his teammates, Orlando’s involvement in the community made him a favorite outside of Winter Park.
Thomas led the NFL in interceptions as a rookie after he was selected in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He played the entirety of his seven-year career with the Vikings and played in 98 career games with 82 starts. Thomas finished his career with 22 interceptions and ranks seventh in franchise history in the statistic.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by rapidly progressive muscle weakness and wasting. Former NFL players Steve Gleason and Tim Shaw are also battling the disease.
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