Former Rutgers University football captain Jamil Merrell has died, according to his twin brother, Jamal Merrell. He was 36.
“With tears in our eyes and love in our hearts, I want everyone to know that my twin brother, Jamil, is peacefully transitioning to be with God,” Jamal, 36, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, July 7.
Jamil was a defensive lineman for the Scarlet Knights from 2009 to 2013, racking up 81 tackles and 8.5 sacks in his career. He and Jamal were both captains for Rutgers during their senior season.
After his college days, Jamil signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent but transitioned to the Arena Football League before ever playing an NFL game. He was working as the defensive coordinator at Red Lion Christian Academy in Delaware at the time of his death.
Jamal added that his brother’s final words will “stay with me for the rest of my life.”
“Before this moment, he looked at us with peace and said, ‘It’s time for me to level up, and everything down here for me is complete.’ 💪🏾,” Jamal wrote.
He continued, “If you were blessed enough to know Jamil, then you know exactly who he was. He loved with his whole heart. He kept it real no matter who you were. He would give you the shirt off his back, tell you the truth even when it was hard to hear, and stand beside the people he loved no matter what. He didn’t just live life he poured every ounce of himself into it.”
Jamil’s cause of death has not been revealed, but Jamal wrote that watching him fight, “has been one of the most courageous things I’ve ever witnessed. You never complained. You never quit. You stood 10 toes down through it all. A true soldier. A true warrior. You fought with everything you had until your very last breath. 💪🏾✅.”
Jamal added that he takes comfort in knowing his brother is no longer in pain.
“No more suffering. No more hospitals. No more hurting. Just peace,” he wrote. “The kind of peace you deserve.”
Red Lion Christian also posted a tribute to Jamil via Facebook on Wednesday, July 9.
“Coach Jamil’s heart, knowledge, and passion will forever be a part of our program,” the post read. “Coach Jamil touched countless lives in a deeply positive way, and he will forever be remembered as one of the greatest, most inspirational coaches and friends in our program’s history.”
