Vikings Mourn Passing of Ronyell Whitaker
ronyell whitaker died on Feb. 22, 2026, his family said, leaving a tight-knit community of former teammates, students and clients to grieve a player who logged two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and later coached and ran a real estate business.
Ronyell Whitaker's football journey
Born March 19, 1979, in Norfolk, Virginia, Ronyell Whitaker played high school football at Lake Taylor High School before joining the Virginia Tech Hokies. He played in 47 college games, recorded seven interceptions and handled 20 punt returns — including 17 for 245 yards (14. 4 avg. ) in 2000, and he was part of the 1999 Hokies team that finished as national runner-up during his freshman season.
Professional stops from Tampa Bay to the CFL
Whitaker signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2003, spending time on the practice squad and active roster and appearing in four regular-season games that rookie year. He joined the Vikings in 2006, appearing in 27 games over two seasons and recording 31 tackles, a pass defended and a fumble recovery for Minnesota. After a spell with the Detroit Lions in the 2008 offseason, he finished his playing career in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and retired in 2010.
Coaching, business and community roles
After his playing days, Whitaker served as a defensive backs coach at Chanhassen High School from 2014 to 2018 and ran Whitaker Group, LLC, a relocation and short-sales business he owned since 2011. His family called him a protector, mentor and source of laughter, and funeral arrangements and memorial details will be shared in the coming days.
The official cause of death has not been publicly confirmed. The family asked for prayers, love and privacy as they grieve, noting his life was marked by passion, perseverance and purpose. The news of his death came less than a month before his 47th birthday and arrived while the Vikings community was still processing another recent loss.
ronyell whitaker is being remembered by former teammates, coaches and the many young players he mentored; messages of remembrance circulated across the football community following the family’s announcement. The team noted his time with Minnesota and his broader contributions to the sport and his communities.
Funeral arrangements and memorial details will be released in the coming days, and friends and former colleagues say they will gather to honor his life.
