Son of former NFL star Hugh Douglas killed in Labor Day crash

ATLANTA — The son of former NFL star Hugh Douglas was one of two Morehouse College students killed in a car crash on Monday, the school announced Tuesday.

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Hugh Douglas, 20, and Christion Files Jr., 20, who were sophomores at the Atlanta college, died in a “devastating car accident” on Labor Day, the school announced in a social media post on Tuesday.

“These young men leave a legacy of excellence, passion, and dedication that will continue to inspire us all,” the school wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

According to the Georgia State Patrol, the crash occurred shortly after 5 p.m. EDT in the Atlanta suburb of East Point, WSB-TV reported. Authorities said that Douglas and Files Jr. were traveling in a vehicle and attempted to pass another vehicle on a curve at a high rate of speed, according to the television station.

Their vehicle left the road, struck two utility poles and overturned, WSB reported. Both men died at the scene, authorities said.

Douglas and Files Jr. were studying business administration with a concentration in finance and marketing respectively, according to Morehead College. The friends and college roommates were also members of the Morehouse Business Association, WPVI-TV reported.

“Hugh and Christion were not just friends but also roommates during their sophomore year, and their loss is deeply felt by all of us in the Morehouse family,” Kevin Booker, vice president for student services and dean of the college, said in a statement. “During these difficult times, we must come together as a community to remember and celebrate the lives of Hugh and Christion. They leave a legacy of excellence, passion, and dedication that will continue to inspire us all.”

The elder Hugh Douglas is currently a radio host at WIP radio in Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. He played in the NFL from 1995 to 2004, according to Pro-Football-Reference. The former defensive end, now 52, was a first-round pick of the New York Jets in the 1995 NFL draft (No. 16 overall) and spent his first three seasons with the Jets, where he was The Associated Press defensive rookie of the year during his first season.

He played with the Eagles from 1998 through 2002, where he was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and an All-Pro. The senior Douglas played in Jacksonville in 2003 before returning to Philadelphia for his final season.

He was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame last year, according to the Inquirer.

Douglas mourned his son on social media Monday evening, writing in one post, “You were already a better man than me.”

The former player’s co-host on WIP, Joe Giglio, opened Tuesday’s midday show on WIP by expressing sympathy and heartbreak, the Inquirer reported.

“Every time I spoke to Hugh about his kids, he spoke so glowingly about Hugh,” Giglio said. “When I heard it, it hit me in so many ways. I’m sad for Hugh, As a parent, it’s the worst thing you can hear.”

“We deal with words, and there are no words,” said Al Morganti, who filled in for Douglas during Tuesday’s radio show. “When you deal with the public like we do here, it’s like an enormous family that’s grieving with him. It’s little comfort at this point, but he has to know that there’s just so many people feeling the pain that he feels.”