A Florida family well known for football and inspiring others is grieving.
26-year-old Max Holloway died early Thursday morning after a car crash.
He is the son of former NFL star Brian Holloway.
It actually could have been even worse.
Holloway’s car ran off a road, hit a utility pole and several trees before smashing into a home in Lutz, Florida.
Six people, three of them children, were sleeping inside. None of them were injured.
At Jefferson High School Thursday morning, officials made the announcement that Holloway had died.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a member of the Dragon family.”
Danny Lea was his his defensive line coach.
“I’m devastated,” he said.
He said Holloway coached and taught at the school a couple of years ago and wanted to come back permanently.
“He would have been great at what ever he did because he would always outwork everybody else. Everybody always said you are too small to play big time college football and he showed people that wasn’t true,” said Lea.
Holloway was a star defensive player at Boston College before graduating in 2011.
Their head coach Steve Addazio said, "our thoughts and prayers are with Max’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has not said what might have caused Holloway’s crash.
They said his Dodge Charger ran off the road at the curve, eventually smashing into a house, knocking down part of its garage.
Holloway is one of eight siblings. His father Brian made the NFL Pro Bowl three times, helping his son achieve his own football dreams.
“My father would come in after the game and we would watch film together,” Max once said in a YouTube video.
Now Brian Holloway is a successful motivational speaker who often includes his family in talks.
Max's former coach said he won’t be forgotten.
“He ran every sprint as fast as he could. He finished everything he started. We just don’t get to see what else he would have started,” said Lea.
While Holloway didn’t get to follow his dad’s football steps in the NFL, he did play one game for the Tampa Bay Storm.
Team President Derrick Brooks said Thursday, ”we are shocked and deeply saddened.”
