UPDATE: 1/18/10 9:34 a.m.
GREENWOOD -- A 26-year-old All-American defensive end at Clemson whose career never blossomed in the NFL with Chicago and Tampa Bay has died in South Carolina.
Gaines Adams died yesterday after going into cardiac arrest.
The chief deputy coroner for Greenwood County says Adams died at Self Regional Hospital after going into cardiac arrest about an hour before at his family's home in Greenwood.
She says an autopsy shows an enlarged heart -- a condition that often can lead to a heart attack. The chief deputy coroner says relatives were unaware of any medical condition.
Toxicology tests are being run by the State Law Enforcement Division, though drug use is not suspected. Officials do not expect the results for at least two months.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
GREENWOOD, S.C. -- Gaines Adams, a defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears who was an all-American at Clemson, has died. He was 26.
The Bears issued a statement Sunday saying the team was "stunned and saddened" by the news of his death.
The team said Adams died Sunday at Self Regional Hospital in his hometown of Greenwood, S.C.
According to the Greenwood County Coroner's Office, Adams died from a cardiac arrest due to an enlarged heart.
Adams was selected fourth overall in the 2007 NFL draft by Tampa Bay, but was traded to the Chicago Bears in October 2009. He had not been able to live up to expectations that he would revive the Buccaneers' once-feared pass rush, having just 17 tackles and one sack in 15 games this season.
The 6-foot-5, 258-pound defensive end was well-known among Clemson fans for breaking up Wake Forest's field goal try and returning it for a touchdown in 2006 to defeat the Demon Deacons.
Clemson Head Football Coach Dabo Swinney, who served as Wide Receiver Coach during Adams' collegiate career, said in a university-release statement,"This is a sad day for Clemson Nation... Gaines was not only a great player at Clemson, he was an outstanding young man."
Former Clemson Head Football Coach Tommy Bowden said in the same statement,"I was shocked and saddened to hear this news... I will always remember the smile he had on his face and I will always remember his patience.... This is a great loss and our prayers to out to his family."
Click here to read the entire statement from Clemson University regarding the passing of Gaines Adams.
Click here to learn more about this story with FOXNews.com.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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