NFL fans in disbelief, mourn Ronnie Hillman’s death from liver cancer mere days before Christmas

Ronnie Hillman, a former Denver Broncos running back, passed away at the age of 31 after a tough battle with liver cancer. His family stated that Hillman was diagnosed with renal medullary carcinoma in August. Renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a strong form of non–clear cell kidney cancer that commonly impacts young adults.

NFL fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the passing of Hillman and how close it was to Christmas:

Hillman's family put out a statement prior to his passing. The statement reads:

“As a family, we hope beyond hope, and we have faith that can move mountains We also understand that God’s will is not always ours; therefore, we as a family subject ourselves to the will of our Almighty God. We need your prayers, but we also need your understanding and respect for Ronnie and our family’s privacy at this time.”

The Denver Broncos also released a statement about Hillman and his impact on the organization during his time with the team. The statement reads:

"We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of former Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman. A key contributor to the winningest four-year period in franchise history, Ronnie was part of two Super Bowl teams and led the Broncos in rushing during our Super Bowl 50 championship season."

"He will be fondly remembered by our organization, which extends its heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Hillman family during this difficult time."

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Ronnie Hillman's career in the NFL

Ronnie Hillman was drafted by the Broncos in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of San Diego State University. In his four seasons with the Broncos, he rushed for a total of 1,845 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also had 67 receptions for 431 yards and a touchdown. In the 2015 season, Hillman led the team in rushing yards with 863 and touchdowns with seven.

That season, the Denver Broncos won their third Super Bowl in franchise history. Hillman spent the final season of his career with two NFL teams. In the 2016 - 2017 season, he played five games for the Minnesota Vikings and three with the San Diego Chargers.