Former Syracuse QB Rex Culpepper dies at 28 after dirt bike accident
Culpepper overcame testicular cancer while playing at Syracuse from 2016 to 2020
Rex Culpepper, a former Syracuse quarterback, died Saturday following injuries sustained in a dirt bike accident in Georgia. He was 28. His death was confirmed by his fiancée in a social media post on Monday.
Culpepper played at Syracuse from 2016 to 2020, appearing in 24 games during his career. Primarily a backup quarterback, he also saw time at tight end as a sophomore in 2018. He threw for 1,546 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing 52% of his passes.
Culpepper's time at Syracuse was defined by his battle with testicular cancer as much as his on-field role. He was diagnosed in March 2018 and underwent months of chemotherapy before being declared cancer-free that June. Even during treatment, he remained engaged with the program, appearing in the team's spring game.
He returned to game action later that season and was honored with Syracuse's Jim DaRin Courage Award.
Our Orange family mourns the loss of Rex Culpepper, who passed away this weekend at the age of 28. Rex lived his life with endless passion, having overcome cancer at the age of 20 while playing for the Orange. Appearing in 30 games, Rex played football as fierce as he lived life.… pic.twitter.com/HT65Ff8b2D
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) March 16, 2026
Culpepper was a two-time team captain at Plant High School in Tampa, Florida, where he developed into one of the top quarterbacks in the state. He threw for more than 2,100 career yards and 21 touchdowns and helped lead the program to the Florida Class 8A regional semifinals as a junior. He earned all-county and all-state honors and was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, ranking among the top quarterback prospects in Florida.
Culpepper is the son of former NFL defensive lineman Brad Culpepper, who spent nine seasons in the league with the Minnesota Vikings (1992-93), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1994-99) and Chicago Bears (2000).
Brad Culpepper and his wife, Monica, later appeared on the reality television show "Survivor," first competing together on "Blood vs. Water" in 2013, where Monica finished as runner-up. Brad returned for "Game Changers" in 2017 and advanced to the finals.
