Former Cowboys TE Gavin Escobar dies in rock climbing accident in California

Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Gavin Escobar was one of two rock climbers found dead on Wednesday in California, authorities said.

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According to the Riverside County Coroner, the bodies of Escobar, 31, and Chelsea Walsh, 33, both of Huntington Beach, were found near Idyllwild, The Dallas Morning News reported.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office also reported Escobar’s death in a news release.

The sheriff’s office said the pair died near 12:20 p.m. PDT on Wednesday near the Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout in the San Bernardino National Forest, KMIR-TV reported.

Escobar joined the Long Beach Fire Department on Feb. 5, according to the television station.

Escobar went to high school in Rancho Margarita and attended San Diego State University, USA Today reported.

He was drafted by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. Escobar played tight end for the Cowboys from 2013 to 2017 and with the Baltimore Ravens in 2017, KTTV reported.

Escobar started seven of the 64 games he played in the NFL. He caught 30 passes for 333 yards and eight touchdowns.

At San Diego State, Escobar caught 122 passes for 1,646 yards and 17 touchdowns, the Morning News reported.