Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Gavin Escobar was identified as one of the two people who died while attempting to climb a rock face in Idyllwild in Riverside County, California.
Escobar, 31, and Chelsea Walsh, 33, were found at around 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday near Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout near Humber Park, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced via CBS News.
The former NFL player had recently worked as a Long Beach firefighter, the department confirmed in a tweet shared on Thursday night.
"It is with deep sadness that we announce the off-duty death of Long Beach Firefighter Gavin Escobar," the department wrote. "Hired on February 5, 2022, Firefighter Escobar was assigned to Fire Station 3 on B-shift.
Escobar, a former two-time first-team All-MWC tight end at San Diego State, was selected by the Cowboys at No. 47 overall in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, spending his first four NFL seasons with the franchise, having also appeared in two games for the Baltimore Ravens in 2017.
"Wow!!!! RIP Gavin Escobar," former Cowboys teammate Dez Bryant tweeted on Thursday night.
Escobar finished his NFL career with 30 receptions for 333 yards and eight touchdowns, making seven starts in 64 appearances.
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