Basketball legend Kobe Bryant once said, “You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile, and keep rolling.” Trent McDuffie has lived by this quote. Though his brother’s demise has hit hard, Chiefs #22 turned unbearable emotions into greatness in his life.

McDuffie, the Chiefs’ cornerback, got emotional talking about his brother Tyler McDuffie. Even to this date, the two-time Super Bowl winner CB has not fully come out of inconceivable grief. Tyler was also a football player. But how did he pass away?

What happened to Trent McDuffie’s brother, Tyler?

Tyler was Trent’s second-oldest brother, who died in 2015. When asked about his late brother, the 24-year-old said, “He was sick for two weeks. And then I just woke up, and he was gone.” He continued admitting that Tyler died because of heart complications. After knowing he was not alive, Trent said, “I just really blacked out.”

Growing up in Westminster, California, the star CB has had great moments with his brother. Talking about their bonding, he said, “When you lose a brother, there’s something that happens with siblings that you kind of just all morph together. I remember finally looking up and seeing them and it was just like, Man, we did this.”

McDuffie was 21st overall and picked up by the four-time Super Bowl champion in the 2022 draft. His first two years marked special for the franchise as they won two trophies consecutively. But what’s important here is how he paid tribute to Tyler in the last two years.

Why did Trent McDuffie change his Jersey number?

As a tribute to a late sibling, the 24-year-old CB changed his jersey number from 21 to 22. Why? Because Tyler used to wear #22 Jersey. Before the last regular season, he decided to wear his brother’s number. He smilingly remarked, “Now that I’m out here in the 22. It feels really good.”

McDuffie deeply expressed how he feels after wearing #22 Jersey, “It allows me to play for something bigger than myself. And knowing I’ve got the 22, my brother’s number, my family’s name on my back, being out there on the field, it’s like I’m not alone.”

As Trent McDuffie takes the field, his brother’s memory stays close to his heart, symbolized by the jersey number he proudly wears. Though Tyler may be gone, his memories live on through Trent’s unwavering dedication to his craft and the unperishable bond they shared as brothers.