Member of famous Georgetown County Geathers football family dies in Las Vegas

Jeremy Geathers, an Andrews High graduate and a member of the famous Georgetown County football family, died Saturday in Las Vegas.

According to The South Strand News, the 30-year-old was struck and killed by a limousine Saturday morning.

The South Strand News reported that the Clark County Coroner’s Office confirmed to the Georgetown Times that a pedestrian killed while trying to cross Las Vegas Boulevard was identified as Geathers. However, as of Sunday afternoon, the coroner’s office confirmed to The Sun News that Geathers had died but that a cause of death had not yet been determined.

Geathers – who played in the Arena Football League – was the son of former NFL player James “Jumpy” Geathers, a defensive lineman won Super Bowl rings with the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos.

Jeremy Geathers, also a defensive lineman, played college football at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., before finishing up at UNLV. He signed a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints following the 2008 NFL draft but did not make the team. He later played for the Spokane Shock and Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League.

Facebook messages started pouring in Saturday afternoon and as of Sunday the small community in Georgetown County was mourning his loss.

“He was a great guy, a great athlete, a great student, just well-liked by all the students there,” said Roland Clemons, Andrews High baseball coach and co-athletic director. “It’s a tragedy when a guy that young [dies]. … He was a great, great young man and a great student then at Andrews High School.”

Clemons is entering his 22nd year – and 12th as head coach – with the Andrews High baseball program and, while he didn’t coach Geathers, he said he knew him well. At the time, he said, there were about 750 students at the school. “Pretty much everybody knew everybody,” Clemons said.

“Everybody’s just shocked by it,” Clemons said. “Anytime you have a young person lose a life that young with so much going for them – personality, skills, everything – it’s just a tragedy. The whole community is in shock and their hearts are out and [their] condolences [are out] to the Geathers family.”

The Spokane Empire of the Indoor Football League – whom Geathers played for when they were known as the Spokane Shock of the AFL – released a statement Saturday via Twitter and Facebook.

“#Spokane’s thoughts and prayers are with the Geathers family this evening as we’ve been informed of the passing of former #Shock DL Jeremy Geathers. A fantastic player and person we had the pleasure, and privilege, of calling a member of our family.”

It’s a sentiment shared by those in Andrews.

“I can’t say enough good words about him,” Clemons said.

This story was originally published February 12, 2017 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Member of famous Georgetown County Geathers football family dies in Las Vegas."