Former New England Patriots guard Mitch Petrus died on Thursday night in Arkansas as a result of a heat-related illness, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Petrus was 32 years old.
Petrus had a brief stint with the Patriots during the 2012 season. In mid-November of that season, he was signed to provide depth on the offensive line after Logan Mankins and Dan Connolly suffered injuries. He appeared in two games for the squad and served mostly as a depth before being waived by the team in December. That season was Petrus' last in the NFL.
Petrus was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft after playing collegiately at Arkansas and showcasing his excellent strength in the pre-draft process. Petrus put up 45 reps of 225 pounds at the NFL Combine. At the time, it was tied for second-most all-time and currently stands as the third-most in combine history.
In Petrus' second year in the league, he started a career-high three games for the Giants and was a part of their roster for the whole season. He was active for the Giants' four postseason games including the team's 21-17 victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl 46.
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