Former Cleveland Browns Player Has Reportedly Died

Former Cleveland Browns punter Kasey Redfern has died at the age of 35 following a multi-year battle with cancer.

Redfern, a Jamestown, North Carolina, native, passed away on October 13, according to confirmation from the Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office in South Carolina.

He was diagnosed with central nervous system lymphoma in 2023 after doctors found a tumor on his brain.

The aggressive form of cancer required extensive treatment over roughly three and a half years. His condition declined in recent months, leading the family to move toward hospice care in late September, around the time of his 35th birthday.

Lauryl Redfern, his wife, shared updates on social media as his health worsened.

“It’s been a whirlwind of a week — one that has been really hard and full of emotional and mental overwhelm,” she wrote. “Kasey had his appointment with Dr. Fanning on Wednesday and our conversation wasn’t easy. We’ve decided to move toward hospice care for Kasey.”

The Browns acquired Redfern on August 29, 2016, in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.

Cleveland sent veteran punter Andy Lee and a 2017 seventh-round draft pick to Carolina in exchange for Redfern and a 2018 fourth-round selection.

Lee, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, had set Browns single-season records the previous year with a 46.7-yard gross average and 40.1-yard net average on 70 punts.

The deal gave the Browns additional draft capital while providing Redfern a brief opportunity with the organization.

Redfern, who had signed with the Panthers only weeks earlier, was released by the Browns on September 3, 2016, and never appeared in a regular-season game for the team.

He had entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014 after a college career at Wofford, where he handled both punting and kicking duties.

Redfern later spent time with the San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons. With the Lions in 2017, he served as the starting punter for the season opener due to an injury to Sam Martin.

In that game against the Arizona Cardinals, Redfern suffered a torn ACL, MCL and partially torn patellar tendon after attempting to run following a bobbled snap.

Across four regular season games with the Lions and Falcons, he punted 10 times for 421 yards. That produced a 42.1-yard average, with a long of 54 yards and three punts placed inside the 20-yard line. He also recorded one rushing attempt for 10 yards during his Lions debut.

Redfern is survived by his wife, Lauryl, and their two sons, Logan and Ollie.

A GoFundMe established to support the family during his treatment raised more than $53,000.

Former teammate Rob Greene described him as a “great man, husband, father, and friend.”

The brief 2016 stint with the Browns remains part of a career that saw Redfern fight for roster spots across seven NFL organizations.