Former Giants tackle Korey Cunningham dead at age 28: ‘A vital part of the spirit of the locker room’

Former Giants, Patriots and Cardinals tackle Korey Cunningham, a beloved and popular teammate in New York, has died at age 28, the Giants confirmed on Friday morning.

“We are saddened to hear of the passing of Korey Cunningham,” the Giants said in a statement. “He was a vital part of the spirit and camaraderie of the locker room. Our thoughts are with Korey’s family, friends and teammates.”

Cunningham, reportedly was found dead at his Clifton, N.J., home on Thursday afternoon.

Cunningham, an Alabama native who played his college ball at Cincinnati, entered the NFL in 2018 as an Arizona Cardinals seventh-round pick.

He played in 31 career games, starting six, including 13 games played for the Giants between the 2021-22 seasons.

Friends and former teammates like the Giants’ Tyre Phillips, Evan Neal, Jihad Ward, Josh Ezeudu and others reacted immediately and emotionally to hearing the news officially on Friday morning.

“R.I.P. brother. Gone too soon,” Neal wrote.

“Love you and appreciated all you did,” Ezeudu wrote. “Rest easy bro.”

“RIP King,” Ward wrote. “Love you KC.”

Phillips posted a series of Instagram stories demonstrating Cunningham’s kindness and personality.

Wide receiver Jaydon Mickens simply posted a broken heart.

That’s a perfect summation of the feelings around the Giants today: hearts are broken for a kind young man gone too soon.