Patrick Smith/Getty Images Baltimore Ravens helmet.
Earlier this week, two rock climbers — including former Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens tight end Gavin Escobar — were found dead in an apparent rock climbing accident at Tahquitz Rock in southern California, this according a Sept. 29 report by the Associated Press. Per the San Diego Union Tribune, the other victim was Chelsea Walsh, 33, who like Escobar, was a resident of Huntington Beach.
Gavin Escobar was a 2nd-Round Pick of the Cowboys
Escobar entered the NFL in 2013 as a 2nd-round pick of the Cowboys out of San Diego State (No. 47 overall). The New York native appeared in 62 games (with seven starts) over the course of four seasons in Dallas, during which time he recorded 30 receptions for 333 yards and eight touchdowns, while playing a large minority of his snaps on special teams, according to Pro Football Reference.
After reaching unrestricted free agency he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in April 2017, but he was released on Sept. 2 of that year, opening the door for him to sign with the Ravens the following month.
He went on to appear in two games for Baltimore before getting released on Nov. 20, 2017. After that he spent time with both the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins but didn’t appear in a regular-season game with either team. His pro football career came to an end in 2019 after a stint with the San Diego Fleet of the now-defunct Alliance of American Football.
Earlier this year, he was hired by the Long Beach Fire Department, which expressed its condolences to his wife and two young children.
Head Coach John Harbaugh Offers Condolences on Behalf of the Ravens
On Friday Ravens head coach John Harbaugh did much the same, saying:
“First thing I want to do is offer out heartfelt condolences to the family of Gavin Escobar…. Great guy, we really enjoyed him here in ’17, and for his family, for his kids, for his wife, just wanted them to know the Ravens are thinking about them and they are in our prayers.
“First thing I want to do is offer our heartfelt condolences to the family of Gavin Escobar. The Ravens are thinking about them, they’re in our prayers.”
Escobar was no stranger to challenging life experiences. While he was with the Cowboys in 2016, his father Harry Escobar died two days before a game against the Ravens. The death occurred as a result of of complications stemming from multiple falls, this according to the Dallas Morning News.
During his time in the league Escobar worked to raise awareness about testicular cancer, having been diagnosed while he was a freshman at San Diego State. He believed cancer might prevent him from realizing his dream of playing in the NFL, but after successful surgery he was declared cancer free and played in 39 games for the San Diego State Aztecs, recording 122 catches for 1,646 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Tahquitz Rock, about 100 miles east of Los Angeles in the San Bernadino National Forest, features steep granite cliffs and is a popular destination for rock climbers. It has been the scene of several fatal accidents in the past, including a double fatality that occurred in October 2003, as highlighted by Outside magazine’s Climbing.com. Tahquitz “is known for having an abundance of loose rock” and is prone to rockfall, notes climbing.com.