Sep 8, 2020 2 min read

Jamain Stephens, a 6-3, 355-pound senior reserve defensive tackle and son of former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round selection Jamain Stephens, has died at the age of 21.

California head coach Gary Dunn did not know the cause of death.

Stephens played in 32 games at Cal from 2017-19.

“There wasn’t anyone who didn’t know Jamain that he didn’t make an impact on,” said Dunn, fighting back tears.

“It’s so shocking right now. He had an impact not on just the team but the entire campus. Anyone who met him, loved him. He was one of the nicest kids in our program.”

The 21-year-old was entering his senior season as a defensive lineman at Cal. He was also a graduate of Central Catholic High School.

Officials did not disclose Stephens’ cause of death.

“Jamain was such a wonderful student with a smile on his face every time you saw him,” said athletic director Dr. Karen Hjerpe in a release. “His personality was contagious and he made such a positive impact on everyone he met.”

“He was becoming a leader for our program and it was just a shock to our football team,” Dunn said. “He’s definitely going to be missed.”

Dunn was not sure whether Stephens belonged to other clubs but did say “he was probably involved in everything. People all over campus knew him and liked him.” As a junior, Stephens was a member of Cal U AD Honor Roll (Fall 2019). He was majoring in business administration.

Stephens’ father was a first-round draft pick by the Steelers in 1996 out of North Carolina A&T. He also played for the Cincinnati Bengals before retiring. He started 10 games, playing 11, for the Steelers in the 1998 season, beating out Paul Wiggins for the starting right tackle job in training camp.

Stephens was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals after the Steelers cut him during training camp in 1999. Stephens played with the Bengals from 1999-2002, and was one of the players released by the team after Marvin Lewis, a Fort Cherry High School graduate, took over as head coach.