Former Syracuse quarterback Rex Culpepper died in a dirt bike accident on Saturday,the school confirmed Monday.He was 28 years old. His fiancée, Savanna Morgan, also confirmed the news in anInstagram post.
Culpepper played for the Orange from 2016 to 2020, appearing in 16 games and throwing for 1,546 yards with 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. During his time at Syracuse, he moved between quarterback and tight end before eventually switching back to quarterback.
Culpepper was also a cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in March 2018 and played in Syracuse's spring game while still undergoing chemotherapy. He entered the game on the final drive and led his team to a touchdown. He was presented with the inaugural Jim DaRin Courage Award and later returned to play his sophomore season.
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Before attending Syracuse, Culpepper played at Plant High School in Florida. During his high school career, he completed 152 of 248 passes for 2,145 yards and 21 touchdowns. According to Rivals, he was ranked the 2016 class No. 8 quarterback in Florida and a three-start recruit.
He led Plant to the 2014 Florida Class 8A regional semifinals and earned second-team all-county and third-team all-state honors. He was also selected to the PrepStar All-Southeast Region team and served as a two-time team captain. Culpepper did not play his senior season due to injury.
Culpepper's father, Brad, was a 10th-round pick in the 1992 NFL Draft and played defensive line for the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears. His brother, Judge, played defensive tackle at Penn State and the University of Toledo and was briefly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after signing as an undrafted free agent.