Greg Olsen’s older brother, Chris Olsen, had long been a devoted Arkansas Razorbacks fan. The 2025 season, however, turned out to be an especially difficult one for Chris. Not because his favorite football program struggled, but because the 43-year-old spent much of the season undergoing chemotherapy while battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Still, even during the toughest stretch of his life, Chris wasn’t alone.

His brother Greg remained by his side throughout the season. Chris made it known that he and Greg spoke almost every day following the diagnosis, leaning on each other as they navigated the uncertainty together. That difficult journey, however, came to a heartbreaking end. On Thursday, Greg took to Instagram to share the devastating news: Chris had passed away at the age of 43 after losing his battle with cancer.

“It is with great sadness that I share this update,” Olsen captioned his IG post. “Despite fighting with every ounce of his being, my older brother Chris has lost his battle with Glioblastoma. This terrible disease took many things, but it could never take Chris’s spirit for life.”

Along with the message, Greg, the former Carolina Panthers tight end, shared a series of photos with his brother. One showed the two sitting casually together at home, while another captured Greg standing behind Chris as his older brother rested in bed. Chris was the eldest son of longtime Wayne Hills football coach Chris Olsen Sr. and Sue Olsen.

His passing has deeply impacted the Wayne Hills community, where Chris starred as a high school quarterback before continuing his football journey at the collegiate level. He redshirted as a freshman at Notre Dame during the 2002–03 season and appeared in spring games before transferring to the University of Virginia. In Virginia, he saw game action across multiple seasons as a Cavaliers quarterback. Football, however, was not the final chapter of Chris’s life.

After his playing days at both the high school and college levels, Chris spent recent years working in management roles at Priority1, serving in client-facing positions. He was also involved in Greg’s foundation and various community initiatives, according to his LinkedIn profile. That path shifted dramatically after his glioblastoma diagnosis. In his post, Greg shared that people traveled from across the country to be with his brother.

“These past few weeks, people came from all over the country to Little Rock to share Chris stories,” Greg Olsen added. “We laughed. We cried. We remembered a larger than life personality who made everyone feel his love. More importantly, he was able to feel the love and impact he made on countless people over his 42 years. Our family is devastated. Everyone could take a lesson on how to live life from Chris.”

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And as the FOX analyst shared the heartbreaking news, the NFL world quickly filled his comment section, offering tributes and condolences for his older brother following the tragic loss.

Tributes pour in from Greg Olsen’s former teammates and FOX colleagues

After Greg Olsen announced the tragic news of his brother, Chris’s, passing, the response from the NFL community was immediate and deeply personal. Christian McCaffrey, who spent years alongside Olsen in Carolina, kept his message simple and heartfelt: “Praying for you brother 🙏🏼❤️.” It was the kind of response that spoke less as a teammate and more as family, acknowledging the pain without trying to dress it up.

George Kittle, one of the league’s most prominent tight ends and someone who has long spoken about Olsen’s influence on the position, echoed that closeness. “Love you Greg❤️,” Kittle wrote. Short, direct, and personal, the message reflected the bond shared among tight ends. And the respect Olsen commands goes beyond just the football field.

Those sentiments extended beyond players as well. Erin Andrews, Greg’s FOX colleague,  shared a message that centered on family rather than football. “Love the Olsen family and Chris so much. Here for you always,” she wrote. Charissa Thompson rounded out the tributes with another reminder of how personal this loss felt across the league. “Love you and your family so much Greg ❤️,” she commented.

Meanwhile, longtime NFL insider Adam Schefter offered a more formal but equally meaningful note, writing, “Sincerest condolences.” Together, the reactions painted a clear picture. This wasn’t just the NFL responding to a headline. It was people showing up for someone they genuinely care about. In moments like this, the words may be brief, but the support behind them is unmistakable.