Ex-WSU linebacker death at Tri-Cities hotel a mystery. Could CTE have been a factor? 

The circumstances surrounding the death of a former WSU football player at a Kennewick hotel remain a mystery, but police say they’ve ruled out murder.

Dan “Danny” Grayson Sr., 54, was found in the parking lot of the Quality Inn early on Aug. 1.

Earlier reports from police said he was in a room at the 7901 Quinault Ave. hotel when officers and paramedics tried to revive him.

An autopsy showed he died of natural causes, that he had a “medical event (after) other activities” at the hotel, said Lt. Jason Kiel.

Police won’t go into detail about what he may have been doing in the time leading up to the 911 call at 2:20 a.m.

Kiel did tell the Tri-City Herald that while they’re no longer looking at Grayson’s death as a possible homicide, there is still an active investigation.

Meanwhile, investigators also are taking a close look at Grayson’s brain to see if there is any indication of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) since he played football for many years, said Benton County Coroner Bill Leach.

CTE Brain trauma

CTE, a debilitating brain disease, is caused by repeated brain trauma like concussions or blows to the head and is both progressive and fatal.

Grayson was a walk-on with Washington State University in 1988 after a stint at Wenatchee Valley Junior College, according to a story with COUGFAN.com on 247Sports

“The tough, hardnosed linebacker earned a scholarship under Dennis Erickson that spring after his big-hit ability stunned Erickson in practice,” it said, referencing a 2013 story in The Seattle Times.

“Grayson, who once racked up 25 tackles in a game vs. Arizona, was named an All-Pac-10 first team and All-American linebacker his senior season in 1989,” said the COUGFAN story, which talked about Grayson’s sudden death. “His 133 tackles that campaign still ranks No. 10 on the all-time WSU single-season list.”

Grayson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL Draft. He went on to play one season in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The father of three lived in Kennewick at the time of his death.

He had celebrated his 54th birthday five days before police and paramedics tried to save his life at the Quality Inn.

Detectives spoke with several witnesses and reviewed video from the hotel as part of their investigation.

Outpouring of support

A GoFundMe campaign was started on behalf of Grayson’s family to help cover the costs of a funeral.

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved family member Danny Grayson in a tragic event in Washington state,” wrote campaign organizer Susan Ramsey.

She asked people to pray for his immediate family and “all of us who loved Danny so much as we mourn this huge loss.”

“As the family begins to make arrangements to honor their loved one we would like for the last thing they worry about to be the impending funeral expenses,” Ramsey wrote.

The GoFundMe has received nearly $6,800 in donations with a $15,000 goal.

Grayson was born in Texas and grew up in Woodland, Wash. His body has been released to Woodland Funeral Home to handle arrangements.

Former high school and college classmates took to social media to pay tribute to Grayson and talk about how he is “gone too soon.”

Steve Broussard, who played with Grayson at WSU before going into the NFL, including the Seattle Seahawks, shared a historical game picture in his Facebook post.

“Man, Man, I can’t explain how much this one hurts!! DAN GRAYSON my (Wazzu) teammate, draft mate, classmate! I pray for his kids, the entire family and friends,” Broussard wrote. “Until we see each other Big Dan, from (Bruiser)!!!”

This story was originally published August 16, 2021 at 1:49 PM.