Former Arizona Cardinals defensive end’s cause of death uncovered
The cause of former Arizona Cardinals defensive end Josh Mauro’s death has been revealed by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office online records via The Athletic.
Mauro died from a combined overdose of cocaine, fentanyl and ethanol intoxication. Mauro died on April 23, at the age of 35. The cause of death was not immediately reported.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office also says that the death was accidental.
The eight-year veteran NFL defensive lineman last played in the NFL in 2021, which was his last year with Arizona. He played with the Cardinals for six years. His first stint with the organization was from the 2014 through 2017 seasons, and his second stint was from the 2020 through 2021 seasons.
Mauro started 13 of the Cardinals’ 16 games in the 2015 season, when Arizona reached the NFC championship game. He also started the Cardinals’ two postseason games that campaign.
In between his time with the Cardinals, Mauro played one year with the New York Giants. James Bettcher was Mauro’s defensive coordinator in New York, as he was during the 2015-17 seasons in Arizona. After a season in New York, Mauro played for the then-Oakland Raiders for one season before heading back to Arizona.
Mauro, a Stanford product, went undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft but was picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers. After starting the 2014 season on their practice squad, he got his first action on the field with the Cardinals after Arizona signed him. Mauro totaled 83 tackles for the Cardinals, with 13 coming for a loss.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former Cardinals defensive end Josh Mauro’s cause of death uncovered
