Former Syracuse quarterback Rex Culpepper has died at the age of 28 following injuries sustained in a dirt bike accident in Georgia. His death comes less than a month after he announced his engagement to fiancée Savanna Morgan.
According to The New York Post, Morgan confirmed Culpepper’s passing in an emotional post shared on Monday, March 16, revealing that the couple had built a deeply connected life together over six years. Authorities say Culpepper suffered fatal injuries in the accident on Saturday, March 14, though additional details surrounding the incident have not been publicly disclosed.
Culpepper was best known for his time with the Syracuse Orange, where he played from 2017 through 2020. Primarily a backup quarterback, he appeared in 30 games, including 16 at quarterback, and threw for 1,546 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also contributed in other roles, including snaps at tight end.
In her tribute, Morgan described the depth of their relationship and the life they built together. “No one expects to meet the love of your life and lose them in only six short years after meeting,” she wrote. “Rex didn’t always believe in soulmates, but towards the end, he told me that he didn’t realize what having a soulmate felt like until we felt like extensions of each other.”
She added that they “lived every single day like it was our last,” emphasizing the couple’s shared experiences traveling, learning new hobbies, and rarely spending time apart.
Culpepper’s journey extended beyond football. In 2018, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent intensive chemotherapy before being declared cancer-free just months later.
He notably returned to the field that spring, leading a scoring drive in Syracuse’s spring game. He was also the son of former NFL defensive tackle Brad Culpepper, while his brother, Judge, also played college football.
Morgan’s tribute underscored how widely Culpepper was loved. “You don’t just meet people like Rex all the time. He was one in a billion,” she wrote. “There wasn’t one thing that man couldn’t do… He became such a lover.”