Former Denver Running Back Ronnie Hillman Dies From Rare Form Of Cancer At 31

Former Denver Bronco and Super Bowl 50 leading rusher Ronnie Hillman, 31, has died after a bout with cancer.

After being diagnosed with renal medullary carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer, in August, Hillman's family announced his death in an Instagram post on Hillman's account Thursday.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother & father, Ronnie K Hillman Jr.,” the family said in the post.

Hillman had entered hospice care for cancer as well as pneumonia in December, and was surrounded by family and close friends, according to an Instagram post by his family the day prior to his passing.

The Denver Broncos issued a statment via Sports Illustrated Thursday saying, "We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of former Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman."

"A key contributor to the winningest four-year period in franchise history, Ronnie was part of two Super Bowl teams and led the Broncos in rushing during our Super Bowl 50 championship season. Soft-spoken with a warm smile and quiet intensity, Ronnie was drafted by the Broncos in 2012 and grew into a dynamic player and well-respected teammate. He will be fondly remembered by our organization, which extends its heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Hillman family during this difficult time."

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is an aggressive form of non-clear cell kidney cancer that typically affects young adults and is almost exclusively associated with sickle cell trait."

Former teammates offensive lineman Orlando Franklin and defensive end Derek Wolfe announced how dire Hillman's health was in recent days.

Franklin took to social media to ask, "please pray for Ronnie Hillman ... this ain't fair, please god, please."

Wolfe told Denver's The Fan104.3 FM, how much he loved playing with Hillman during their time together in Denver. "Great football player, great person, great teammate, just an all-around great dude," Wolfe said.

Hillman was a third-round pick by the Broncos in the 2012 NFL draft. The San Diego State standout running back rushed for 1,845 yards and 12 touchdowns in his four years in the Mile-high City.

Hillman's best year in Denver was in 2015 when the Broncos went on to win Super Bowl 50. The Long Beach, California native rushed for a career-high 863 yards, seven touchdowns that season.

Hillman also had a career-best 24 receptions that season.

The five-year veteran spent 2016 with the Minnesota Vikings, and later claimed off waivers by the San Diego Chargers later that season.