San Francisco

Former 49er Jason Hairston, Who Founded Successful Hunting Gear Company, Dead at 47

Former San Francisco 49er Jason Hairston, who played for the team for one season and retired in 1996 after a stint with the Broncos, has died. Hairston, who founded a successful hunting gear company, was 47.

His company, KUIU, confirmed his death to TMZ. He signed up for the 49ers as a free agent and played under Pete Carroll. Besides being a football star, Hairston is known for his success as a businessman.

He was also known to be friends with Donald Trump Jr., and had just returned from a hunting trip with the president’s son right before his death.

“Jason, I have no words. I will always remember our adventures and sharing a campfire with you. They will be some of my fondest experiences in the outdoors. You were and will continue to be an inspiration to all outdoorsmen and women for generations to come. Thanks for the friendship and the memories buddy. I’m going to miss you. R.I.P,” Trump wrote in an Instagram post.

The former linebacker also spoke openly about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma.

"I played linebacker, and the way I played the game, I led with my head. I played the way they tell us not to play now," Hairston told CNBC in 2016. "I have all the symptoms of CTE."

The cause of his death was not immediately known.

Contact Us