One of the bodies discovered in a climbing accident near Idyllwild was identified as Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Gavin Escobar.
Former NFL tight end Gavin Escobar, who spent the bulk of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, was identified as one of two people who died in a climbing accident near Idyllwild.
According to USA Today, local authorities reported that two people had been injured in an accident near Tahquitz Rock in the San Bernardino National Forest. The accident reportedly happened on Wednesday, with the Riverside (Calif.) County sheriff’s coroner’s office identifying Escobar as one of the victims on Thursday.
Escobar left the Cowboys in free agency back in 2016 and retired from the NFL in 2018. He joined the Long Beach Fire Department this year.
The Long Beach Fire Department released a statement on Instagram memorializing Escobar after his death was confirmed on Thursday afternoon.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the off-duty death of Long Beach Firefighter Gavin Escobar. Hired on February 5, 2022, Firefighter Escobar was assigned to Fire Station 3 on B-shift. Firefighter Escobar leaves behind his wife and two young children.”
Authorities reported that Escobar died while climbing a “rock face,” and identified the other victim as Chelsea Walsh. No other details were available.
Escobar spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns after his time with the Cowboys came to an end, but he failed to make either team’s regular season roster. He did, however, spend time on the active roster for the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins before taking his talents to the AAF’s San Diego Fleet.
His time with the Fleet served as a sort of full circle moment for Escobar’s football career, as it began at San Diego State back in 2009.
Gavin Escobar was 31.