A homicide investigation is underway in Los Angeles after former Philadelphia Eagles player Kevin Johnson was found dead near a homeless encampment.

Johnson, 55, played in the NFL in the 1990s for the Eagles and Oakland Raiders, after being drafted by the New England Patriots in 1993.

He was discovered in Willowbrook on Wednesday morning with blunt head trauma and stab wounds near the 1300 block of East 120th Street, near Central Avenue.

Friends of Johnson who were paying tribute to him on social media alluded to him having struggles during the later years of his life. 

One tribute, from a woman who said she was an old high school friend, claimed she had not seen him since 2019 but would often pray for his wellbeing.

‘The enemy had a tight hold on you with addiction and I had to walk away,’ the friend wrote. ‘We hadn’t talked since 2019 though you’ve tried to reach out but all I could do is pray from a distance.’ 

A homicide investigation is underway after ex-NFL player Kevin Johnson was found dead

Johnson was born in Los Angeles and after a college career in LA and Texas as a defensive tackle, was drafted by the Patriots in the 1993 but was released in the same year. 

After being signed to the Minnesota Vikings practice squad and then by the Oakland Raiders, Johnson’s career got going in 1995 when the Eagles took him off waivers.

In Philadelphia that season, he played 11 times and even made two appearances in playoff games.

He backed it up the following year with 12 appearances in 1996 but was released in December.

The Raiders took him on in 1997 and he played 15 times that season before being released the following March. 

It would be his last season in the NFL and he went on to compete in the Arena Football League with hometown team Los Angeles Avengers.