Former NFL punter Kasey Redfern has died at just 35 years old following a prolonged battle with brain cancer, leaving behind his wife and two young children.
Redfern, who played for the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons during his professional football career, died Tuesday, October 13, after spending more than three years undergoing treatment for a cancerous brain tumor and central nervous system lymphoma.
His death came less than three weeks after his wife, Lauryl, revealed that his health had deteriorated significantly and that he had been moved into hospice care.
On September 26, Redfern’s 35th birthday, Lauryl shared an emotional update about her husband’s condition and the difficult decisions facing their family.
“Happy 35th birthday to my man, the love of my life, Kase Face!” she wrote.
In the same message, she explained that Redfern had experienced a series of troubling symptoms, including falls, significant short-term memory problems and episodes of vomiting.
Lauryl believed the changes were connected to neurotoxicity following the extensive treatments he had received since his cancer diagnosis in 2023.
The symptoms had become increasingly difficult to manage, and the family ultimately transitioned Redfern into hospice care, where the focus shifted toward his comfort and quality of life.
Despite the heartbreaking circumstances, Lauryl remained open about the family’s Christian faith and the hope it provided during her husband’s final weeks.
“We know that healing will take place regardless of the outcome, but if he makes it to Heaven soon, he will have it better than the rest of us,” she wrote.
Redfern’s football journey began long before his NFL career.
A native of Jamestown, North Carolina, he attended Ragsdale High School, where he excelled in football, soccer and swimming before continuing his athletic career at Wofford College in South Carolina.
At Wofford, Redfern played both kicker and punter from 2010 through 2013, developing the skills that eventually earned him an opportunity in professional football.
Although he went undrafted in 2014, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him as a free agent.
Over the following years, he spent time with seven NFL organizations, including the Jaguars, San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons.
His first regular-season NFL appearance came with Detroit in September 2017.
However, the memorable career milestone ended painfully when Redfern suffered serious knee injuries during a game against the Arizona Cardinals.
He tore ligaments in his knee while attempting to run with a mishandled snap, an injury that ended his season.
Redfern eventually recovered and continued pursuing his NFL career, joining the Atlanta Falcons in 2019.
He appeared in four regular-season NFL games overall, recording 10 punts for 421 yards.
While his professional career was relatively brief, former teammates and coaches remembered him as someone whose character made a lasting impression.
Rob Greene, a former college teammate and roommate who later became an assistant football coach at Texas Tech, paid tribute to Redfern following his death.
Greene described him as a great husband, father and friend, remembering the kindness and humility he showed throughout his life.
Redfern’s death also brought renewed attention to the difficult illness he had faced since 2023.
Central nervous system lymphoma is a form of cancer that affects the brain, spinal cord or other parts of the central nervous system. Treatment may involve chemotherapy and other therapies, depending on the individual case.
The disease and its treatment can cause serious neurological complications, although the specific medical factors contributing to Redfern’s decline have not been independently established.
Throughout his illness, his family shared updates with friends and supporters, expressing gratitude for the prayers and encouragement they received.
For Lauryl and the couple’s two children, the loss marks the end of a difficult journey that extended far beyond the football field.
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