Former NFL star Randall Cunningham’s son, 2, drowns in hot tub
The 2-year-old son of former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham drowned in a backyard hot tub in Las Vegas that his father, who is now a minister, used to perform baptisms, authorities said today.
Christian Cunningham died after being found floating in the hot tub, police said.
A woman at Cunningham’s house was with several children when she found the boy at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, police said. She pulled the boy from the hot tub and performed CPR before paramedics rushed the child to St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Siena campus, where he died.
Detectives were investigating the incident at the Cunningham house on East Robindale Road, though police believe the drowning was accidental.
Cunningham, 47, was out of town and on his way home at the time of the drowning.
A former quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings , Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens , Cunningham became pastor of a church he founded called Remnant Ministries after his NFL career. The church was located near his home and he sometimes performed baptisms in that hot tub, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal Members of his church congregation gathered at Cunningham’s church Tuesday night, sharing stories about Christian, praying and crying.
“We know healing is going to take time,” one church member, who said she goes by the name of Miss Happy, told the newspaper. “We ask that everyone pray for the family. It hurts. It hurts.”
She added, “He touched the lives of anybody who stood there and watched him. He’s one of those little kids like, ‘I’ll take you home with me.’ I can sit here and talk all day about Christian.”
When Randall Cunningham’s name was added to the Eagles Honor Roll in September, an article described him as a father of four.
Cunningham is considered the greatest player in the history of the University of Las Vegas, where he still holds the record with 8,020 career passing yards.
His 16-year NFL career included four Pro Bowl selections and he demonstrated how the quarterback could be more mobile position, incorporating the running game into his arsenal. Cunningham moved to Las Vegas after his 2002 retirement from the pro football. He was drafted in 1985 by Philadelphia, where he remained through the 1995 season. He worked as a television sports analyst for one year before returning to the field as quarterback.
Cunningham, dubbed “the ultimate weapon by Sports Illustrated” because of his remarkable scrambling ability, played for the Eagles from 1985 to 1995. He took a year off, then returned for three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, before stints with the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens.
