Hoax celebrity death stories are – as Mark Twain once penned down – greatly exaggerated. While Hollywood celebrities are common victims of this, the sports world is no stranger. As the NFL community mourns the death of former Baltimore Ravens‘ RB Alex Collins, who died in a tragic motorcycle crash, the former Los Angeles Rams’ RB shot down a two-word message to put a permanent halt to his fake death rumor.

When NFL Twitter was hacked during the 2016 NFL draft, it was the league’s commissioner Roger Goodell, who fell prey to nasty fake death reports. Now, it is a 2x Super Bowl champion who felt the blues. It all started with a betting insider who has now posted a lengthy apology, that includes six regretful posts.

Fake death news reports are sad and sickening!

The athlete who fell victim to a fake death news rumor is Sony Michel. The athlete’s career with New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams is a tale of balanced victory. Michel, who won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams in 2021, also played a crucial role in the Patriots’ jaw-dropping 13-3 Super Bowl LIII win against the Rams in 2018. The athlete, widely known for always wearing a billion-dollar smile, felt some turbulence lately.

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While the 26-year-old Alex Collins’ tragic demise came as a shock, Michel became the target of a hoax death report. Today, he came up with a rather straightforward tweet, a two-word message to update his life status. Sony Michel tweeted, “Fake News.”

All this began when an NFL betting insider spread a false rumor online, perhaps, confusing the shocking death of the Ravens’ RB with Michel. He later posted an extensive apology for the same, rather stating that this was his last reporting.

Alex Collins’ death is a hard-hitting loss for Ravens

It was reported today that one betting insider, who goes by the username @BeatintheNookie, was behind this hoax death report. The rumor ignited after Alex Collins lost his precious life in a tragic motorcycle accident on 13 August 2023. Once Michel blasted the fake report, this insider apologized, stating in one of his social media posts: “My source was incorrect I guess. It was an error to post regardless. Glad to hear he is still with us. Last time I try to report any news.”

Meanwhile, Baltimore Ravens paid tribute to their star RB with a heart-touching note where the team mentioned how “Alex was a joy to be around” and “someone whose light shined brightly.” Coach Harbaugh added, “I’ll always remember him for being a great teammate who had an uplifting spirit that impacted everyone he encountered.” The team recalled that Collins was a smart player with unlimited determination. Nothing can fill the void that is created by Alex Collins’ untimely death and the squad certainly has an emotional NFL season ahead. It’s time to channel this energy into a win that would serve as a tribute to their lost gem!

But again, hoax death reports are a pressing issue and those who do it often forget that their actions can result in hard-hitting lawsuits.

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