LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY — Former NFL quarterback Browning Nagle died after a battle with colon cancer. He was 57 years old.

The Louisville football program posted a statement on X following his death. "We are saddened by the passing of Browning Nagle, former Fiesta Bowl MVP quarterback and Louisville great. His leadership on the field and passion for the game left a lasting mark on our program. Our thoughts are with his loved ones and teammates during this difficult time," the program wrote.

Nagle was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Tampa, Florida, where he attended Pinellas Park High School in Largo, Florida. He enrolled at West Virginia University and played football there for two years before transferring to the University of Louisville. At Louisville, he played under head coach Howard Schnellenberger and threw for 4,653 yards and 32 touchdowns over two seasons as a starter.

His college career included a performance in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl, where Nagle threw for 451 yards and three touchdowns to lead Louisville to an upset victory over Alabama. He also performed the national anthem before the game. Nagle was named the bowl's Most Valuable Player for his performance.

The New York Jets selected Nagle as the No. 34 overall pick in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft. He became the Jets' starting quarterback in 1992, posting a 3-10 record while throwing 17 interceptions and seven touchdown passes. Boomer Esiason replaced him as the team's quarterback in 1993, and the Jets released Nagle in 1994.

He finished his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts and the Atlanta Falcons. After his time in the NFL ended, Nagle continued playing football in the Arena Football League, joining the Orlando Predators in 1999 and the Buffalo Destroyers in 2000. Over those two Arena Football League seasons, he threw 74 touchdowns.