'Orange Is The New Black' actor and former NFL player Brad William Henke has died aged 56

• Actor and former NFL player Brad William Henke has died at the age of 56.
• His agent told Insider that he died "peacefully in his sleep" on Tuesday, November 29.

"'Orange Is The New Black" star and former NFL player Brad William Henke has died aged 56.

Henke's agent Sheree Cohen confirmed his death in a statement to Insider on Friday that said he died "peacefully in his sleep."

"Henke was an avid NFL and UFC fan, a happily married family man with a heart of gold who visited his mother frequently, loved taking his stepson to soccer games and gymnastics and adored his dog, Ruby," the statement continued.

Henke's cause of death has not been shared.

The actor is best known for his portrayal of corrections officer Desi Piscatella in the Netflix series "Orange Is The New Black," which ran for seven seasons from 2013 until 2019. He made his debut in the season four premiere in 2016 and, along with the rest of the cast, received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2017.

He also had recurring roles on the TV shows "Justified, "Lost," "October Road," and "Dexter," and appeared in movies including "Pacific Rim" and "World Trade Center."

Henke turned to acting in the mid-1990s after retiring from the NFL in 1994 following a series of injuries. He played football as a defensive lineman in college at the University of Arizona before being drafted in 1989 by the New York Giants.

He later moved to Denver Broncos and played during the Super Bowl XXIV game against the San Francisco 49ers in 1990.

After news of his death broke, "Orange Is The New Black" casting director Jen Euston tweeted: "This is a shock. Rest well, Brad. Thank you for all the work you contributed on OITNB. You will not be forgotten."

Henke is survived by his mother, Tammy; sister, Annette; wife, Sonja; stepchildren Aaden and Leasa; and a grandchild, Amirah, according to Cohen's statement.