Former NFL player and Orange Is the New Black actor Brad William Henke has died. He was 56.

Henke’s manager, Matt DelPiano confirmed reports he died in his sleep on Tuesday, Nov. 29 to The New York Post. No cause of death was given. 

In a statement to the outlet, DelPiano said, “Brad was an incredibly kind man of joyous energy. A very talented actor, he loved being a part of this community … and we loved him back. Our thoughts are with his wife and family.” 

After hanging up his football cleats in 1994 due to ankle injuries, Henke got into acting, starting with commercials, eventually landing a role in Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, where he played a prison guard. He’s also had roles in projects like Justified, Lost, Dexter, CSI: Miami, and movies including Choke, Pacific Rim, and more. 

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.