 |
| 29-year-old Corey Smith became a free agent this year after playing defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions |
 |
| Formerly with the Seattle Seahawks, Marquis Cooper, 26, played linebacker for the Oakland Raiders |
Three days after Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper and Detroit Lions defensive lineman Corey Smith were reported missing in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast, the Coast Guard on Tuesday called off the search for he missing NFL players and a third man, former South Florida player William Bleakley.
The men, along with a forth friend 24-year-old Nick Schuyler, who was found by the Coast Guard on Monday clinging to the capsized boat, had gone on a fishing trip on Saturday and were caught off guard when rough waters overturn their 21-foot vessel.
The Coast Guard had searched more than 24,000 miles of ocean looking for survivors. Coast Guard Capt. Timothy Close told the AP the Guard had exhausted all options in looking for the men, “I think the families understood that we put in a tremendous effort,” Close said. “Any search and rescue case we have to stop is disappointing.”
