Tylee Craft | North Carolina football player dies of rare lung cancer during team's cancer awareness game

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – North Carolina wide receiver Tylee Craft died Saturday morning after a long battle with cancer, the school announced.

Craft, 23, of Sumter, South Carolina, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer on March 14, 2022. The UNC community had rallied behind him since his diagnosis with the hashtag #TyleeStrong. He had undergone numerous treatments, but the cancer had spread throughout his body and brain. Still, he enrolled in postgraduate courses toward his master's degree in applied professional studies and graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in exercise science/sports administration.

UNC honored Craft during Saturday's football game against Georgia Tech. It was also the team's annual cancer awareness game. Friends and family members wearing T-shirts with Craft's name and number were honored during an on-field ceremony.

Wide receiver JJ Jones wore Craft's jersey with his number 13 and last name during the game. In addition, the UNC men's basketball team wore t-shirts with Craft's name and number at its intrasquad scrimmage at the Smith Center after the football game and observed a moment of silence before the scrimmage in honor of Craft.

“This young man fought so hard in his two and a half years,” UNC coach Mack Brown said. “The doctors told us he survived, which he should have. And he did it with the spirit, he did it with a smile on his face, he didn't miss a meeting, he didn't miss training, he trained the other incredible young people.”

Brown told reporters he didn't learn of Craft's death until after the game, but he sensed something had happened after witnessing an emotional hug with Craft's mother at the end of the first quarter.

“I think the family feels the love and they will continue to feel that love,” Brown said. “What we need to do is be strong and pray for strength for ourselves as leaders to help these guys on and off the field. … So more than ever, I need to step up and be stronger for them and make sure I can help them get through things and move forward in their lives.”

Craft had been dealing with debilitating back pain, so UNC's athletic training team took him to the hospital in 2022 for further testing to determine the cause. At that time, he was diagnosed with stage 4 large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. He immediately began aggressive chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

When Craft was diagnosed, his family members said doctors told them he was just weeks away from death, according to UNC.

In 2022, Craft was honored with the Disney Spirit Award, given annually to college football's most inspiring person or team. He was also one of five college athletes named to the Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Team this year.

“Tylee meant so much to so many and influenced us in ways for which we will always be grateful,” the football program said in a statement. “He was a loner and even though he won’t be with us physically, he will watch over us with his endearing smile and endless positivity.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.