Clemson national championship hero shot dead at 26 in North Carolina

Former national championship winner Diondre Overton has died aged 26 following a shooting in North Carolina .

The Guilford County Sheriff's Office released a statement on Saturday confirming the death of Overton, who played for Clemson in college and went undrafted in 2020. "Sheriff Danny H. Rogers reports that on September 7, 2024, at approximately 2:30 a.m. Deputies responded to a call regarding a loud party and noise disturbance at 3205 Spring Mill Road, Greensboro, NC 27406," the statement read.

"As they made their way to the scene, Deputies received updated information indicating that a shooting had occurred at the location. Upon arrival, Deputies located the shooting victim and identified him as 26-year-old Diondre Overton.

"Despite immediate medical aid, Mr. Overton was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation suggests that this incident is isolated. It remains an active and ongoing homicide investigation."

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Following the sad confirmation, Clemson led the tributes by mourning the loss of their former star. "Clemson Football and the entire Clemson Family mourns the passing of Clemson alumnus Diondre Overton," they wrote on X. "Our thoughts are with his family and friends."

Clemson balloons were left on campus and flowers were spread out in honor of Overton. Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins played with Overton and also posted a message as a tribute to his former teammate.

Higgins posted a photo of himself sitting with Overton and wrote: "Brotha I miss you already man. I love you 5L....I'm hurting bad bout this right now. Rest Easy Big Play."

Clemson plays at home on Saturday against App State, and fans are using the game to pay tribute to Overton. Head coach Dabo Swinney has been with Clemson since 2009, and during their famous Tiger Walk he stopped by Overton's plaque.

Swinney got on his knees and blew a kiss to the plaque, which Overton earned for being a former team captain. Overton played for Clemson between 2016 and 2019 after joining as a four-star prospect out of Page High School in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Overton finished his collegiate career with 52 passes for 777 yards and seven touchdowns, and was a reserve in two national championship winning seasons (2016, 2018). After going undrafted in 2020, Overton spent time in the CFL and UFL, representing teams such as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Vienna Vikings, Philadelphia Stars, Pittsburgh Maulers, and Memphis Showboats. Overton was on the Showboats roster in 2024.