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This week, the entire football world has its eyes locked on San Francisco. On Sunday, Super Bowl LX will take center stage, with the New England Patriots facing off against the Seattle Seahawks.
But football isn’t the whole world—and that reality hit hard on Thursday, when former Carolina Panthers tight end and current FOX analyst Greg Olsen shared a heartbreaking and emotional message on Instagram.
There, he revealed that his oldest brother, Chris, had lost his year-long battle with cancer.
“It is with great sadness that I share this update. Despite fighting with every ounce of his being, my older brother Chris has lost his battle with Glioblastoma. This terrible disease took many things, but it could never take Chris’s spirit for life.
These past few weeks, people came from all over the country to Little Rock to share Chris stories. We laughed. We cried. We remembered a larger than life personality who made everyone feel his love. More importantly, he was able to feel the love and impact he made on countless people over his 42 years,” he wrote.
Chris Olsen Passed Away After an Almost 11-Month Battle
Chris Olsen passed away at 42 after an almost 11-month battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was first diagnosed on March 25, 2025. As the oldest of three brothers, Olsen was raised in a football family in Wayne, New Jersey.
Early on, he made his mark by leading his high school team as quarterback. That journey later continued at Notre Dame and Virginia.
In his final weeks in Little Rock, Arkansas, friends and loved ones gathered around him—sharing laughs, shedding tears, and celebrating a larger-than-life presence. In the end, Chris Olsen left behind more than memories. He left a legacy of living all-out, one that resonated far beyond the field and across the sports world.
Fans and friends expressed their condolences shortly after the announcement, sharing in the grief over the loss.
On Instagram, Kevin Burkhardt commented on the post, “Prayers for the Olsens — love you all so much. Chris was always smiling, pure joy. He certainly will be remembered that way.”
Greg Olsen Wants to Join Hall of Fame Ceremony
Just recently, Olsen spoke with Charlotte Observer writer Scott Fowler about his former teammate and close friend Luke Kuechly, who could make history this week, including becoming the second-youngest Hall of Famer ever.
On X (formerly Twitter), he posted, “Greg Olsen is feeling very good about Luke Kuechly’s chances to make the Hall of Fame tomorrow and is flying out to California in hopes of being part of a big L-u-u-u-u-k-e celebration.”
If Kuechly is named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame tonight, he’d make history as one of the youngest players ever inducted, standing only behind Gale Sayers — the legendary Bears star who went into the Hall at age 34.
Kuechly would be just 35 years and a few months old when he puts on that gold jacket, a rarity in Canton and a testament to a career that was brilliant even if it was shorter than most.
Whether Olsen will actually be in attendance in the wake of his brother’s passing remains to be seen.
Fabienne Lampe Fabienne Lampe is a German sports journalist, covering the NFL, College Football, NBA, and Formula 1 for Heavy Sports. Lampe has years of experience covering the NFL, especially the Atlanta Falcons as their sole German reporter. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in the NFL, including Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson. Lampe also hosts a Formula 1 podcast and works as a play-by-play announcer. More about Fabienne Lampe
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