A former NFL player who was missing for several days has been found dead in Florida

• Former NFL player Louis Nix III was found dead on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.
• His family had reported him missing on Wednesday.
• Police found his vehicle in a retention pond near his apartment on Saturday.

Former NFL player Louis Nix III was found dead on Saturday, days after his family reported him missing.

Nix's mother confirmed his death to NBC affiliate WTLV after Jacksonville Sheriff's Office deputies pulled his vehicle out of a retention pond near his apartment on Saturday.

The 29-year-old had been reported missing on Wednesday, and was last seen alive leaving his father's house in Jacksonville.

It's unclear if a cause of death has been determined.

Nix, a defensive tackle, played three seasons with Notre Dame before being drafted to the Houston Texans in 2014, but a knee injury plagued his NFL career.

He played four games with the New York Giants in 2015, then spent time on practice squads for the Washington Football Team and the Jacksonville Jaguars before being released in May 2017.

Last year he was shot during an armed robbery at a gas station near the Jacksonville airport, and said on social media he spent 10 days in the hospital recovering, ESPN reported.

Former teammates and coaches are mourning Nix's death on social media, including Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly and Detroit Lions defensive end Romeo Okwara.

Kelly tweeted out a highlight reel of Nix's time at Notre Dame, saying he would "carry these memories until we see you again."

—Brian Kelly (@CoachBrianKelly) February 28, 2021

Okwara, who also played football for Notre Dame, tweeted that Nix would be "greatly missed" as he shared a photo of them together.

"Devastating. Rest In Peace, Big Lou," he wrote. "Always wanted to put a smile on everyone's face. Glad I got to share some unforgettable moments with you."

—Romeo Okwara (@RomeoND45) February 28, 2021