Liberty University’s football program is mourning the loss of freshman offensive lineman Tajh Boyd, who passed away at the age of 19. The cause of his death remains unclear. No official cause has been disclosed. Boyd, who joined the Liberty Flames in January, was remembered fondly by the university’s athletic community.
“We are grateful for the time Tajh spent with us at Liberty Athletics. His memory will forever be cherished as a Flame,” the university’s statement read. “His absence will be deeply felt. Our thoughts and prayers are with Tajh’s family, his teammates and friends, our football coaching staff, and the entire Liberty University community. We grieve as a family and will seek solace and understanding from the Lord during these challenging times.”
Boyd, a native of Chesapeake, Virginia, committed to Liberty University in December 2022 after a successful high school football career at Oscar F. Smith High School. He was instrumental in leading his high school team to back-to-back state championships and was a three-star recruit according to Rivals. Boyd had received offers from several universities including Bowling Green, Buffalo, Campbell, Duke, Jackson State, James Madison, Maine, Maryland, Morgan State, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T, and Virginia Tech.
Beyond his football aspirations, Boyd had plans to become a computer science engineer after graduation. The university’s announcement of his passing was made by Flames football coach Jamey Chadwell and athletics director Ian McCaw in a letter to the university community, which was posted on the athletics website.
The letter read, “We are deeply saddened to share the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes, Tajh Boyd. Tajh’s impact on our football program will be felt for years to come.”
Conference USA, where Liberty is set to compete this season, also expressed their condolences. “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Liberty Football student-athlete Tajh Boyd. Our thoughts are with the Boyd family and Flames nation during this difficult time,” the conference stated.
Boyd’s death comes just days before his 20th birthday, which would have been on August 20.