Every year, about 65,000 football players complete their college careers, all with hopes to continue their careers in the National Football League. However, only about 300 players ever actually make it to an NFL roster. One of these hopefuls was former Iowa State running back Stevie Hicks.
From 2003 to 2006, Hicks had led the Cyclones in rushing each of the four seasons he played in Ames. And not only was he a star on the field, but well-liked off it, with friends & family recalling how “he was nice to everybody”, and was “really, honestly, truly a good kid.”
Unfortunately, Hicks’ dreams of playing in the pros never came to fruition, not helped by injuries he suffered in his later ISU seasons. And the disappointment of seeing his playing career end was apparently too much to take - so he chose to jump to his death.
The OMAHA WORLD-HERALD reports on what happened to Stevie on the day after Thanksgiving. The night before, he had left his grandparents’ house several times before returning in the morning, “talking to himself and threatening suicide”:
At 7:35 a.m., Omaha police officers were dispatched to the dark green, one-story house on Decatur Street. Hicks was in the driveway, an arm around his grandmother, according to the records.
“Please take him,” she said. Police interviewed Hicks, asking if he planned to hurt himself or others. “No,” he replied. After about a half hour, the officers left.
At 8:34 a.m., motorists began to report that a man had landed on Interstate 480 north of Dodge Street. “I just saw somebody jump off a bridge,” one 911 caller said. At 9:14 a.m., Hicks was pronounced dead at the University of Nebraska Medical Center of head injuries suffered in the 57-foot fall.
A toxicology report would later find no evidence of narcotics or drugs in Hicks’ system, although his grandmother had earlier told police, “I think he has been, but I don’t know whether he has lately.”
Authorities later found out how despondent Hicks was over his football fortunes:
Before his death, Hicks took his football trophies off shelves and packed them away. He threw one of his old helmets in the trash. He turned large poster photographs of himself in his football uniform to face the wall.
As mentioned earlier, only a very small percentage of college players ever make it to the NFL. So Stevie wasn’t the only one to see his pro prospects end. But is it really worth taking your own life? Sadly, we’ll never really know what could have driven this young athlete to go through with such a desperate act.
There are NCAA commercials shown every so often (like this one) that explains, “There are more than 380,000 student-athletes, and most of them go pro in something other than sports.” It’s a good lesson for all college athletes to learn - it’s always a good idea to have a Plan B.
11:18 am on December 19th, 2008
Even if he is a Cyclone, this is very sad.
11:38 am on December 19th, 2008
My heart goes out to the parents/family of this young man. Very sad story!
1:01 pm on December 19th, 2008
This is tragic. Where were the Iowa State counselors? I think they failed this young man.
2:55 pm on December 19th, 2008
How can you possibly lay blame on the Iowa State counselors? He last played in 2006. Two years later he took his own life and the counselors failed him? I don't get that. I feel for his family and hope they will survive this.
3:48 pm on December 19th, 2008
READ THE STORY AND LEARN THE FACTS BEFORE COMMENTING!!!
he was no longer in college, hence the point of the whole story, HE DID NOT MAKE IT IN THE PRO'S. he tried to make it after he left college but was not good enough and did not have a "plan B." that is why he killed himself.
stop pointing the finger at other people(in this case, counselors) HICKS gave up. he quit. he could not handle adversity, modern day athletes are in love with themselves so they have a sense of entitlement. it starts at a young age when players are always told they are great.
when they dont get what they want things like this can happen. he had a college education and a great college football career. but that meant nothing to him without fame and fortune from the NFL. sad.
5:57 pm on December 19th, 2008
Someone will probably try to blame Gene Chizik for this.
6:34 pm on December 19th, 2008
Yes, let's not get to blaming others for who or what didn'nt happen. yesterday is gone and it is nothing even God himself can do anything about but lets get tommorrow's athelete …,pre -behavoral health's top notch help ,so this horriffic act numbers could be minimum to nothing. ,,God truly loves his own!!!!!!!!
8:07 pm on December 19th, 2008
God truly loves his own? Then why did He let the guy kill himself? Let me guess: the Lord works in mysterous ways, right?
9:07 pm on December 19th, 2008
I think Mr. Hicks did have a Plan B afterall. Plan Bridge.
11:49 pm on December 19th, 2008
i feel for the guy.
it's hard to have a dream, then realize your best isn't good enough.
not saying i'd have taken the route he took, but i think about it all the time–and i'm a nobody.
as a former cyclone, it makes me sad.
2:43 am on December 20th, 2008
Hook Em Horndog
5:57 pm on December 19th, 2008 Someone will probably try to blame Gene Chizik for this.
EPIC FAIL. Anyone with a Horns logo attached to their name would know that Gene Chizik was coaching for UT while Hicks was at ISU.
1:30 pm on December 20th, 2008
I bet Hines Ward gets fined for this.
5:06 pm on July 29th, 2009
If I dont make it to the NFL I’ll do the same I spent most of my time weight lifting but I’ll never give up I think I have a good chance because I work out hours a day but it seems impossible. Anyone know where I can read more about this guy? Are there any similiar cases?