The Buford community and the wider world of high school athletics are mourning the sudden and unexpected death of Josh Cardiello, a former standout football player who collapsed and died at age 30 after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest while playing basketball on January 5, 2026.
His father, Jay Cardiello, announced the heartbreaking news on social media early that morning, saying Josh’s passing was “completely unexpected” and has left family, friends and colleagues devastated.
Cardiello was a celebrated athlete at Buford High School in Georgia, where he was a three‑time state champion and a dominant presence on the offensive line. His performance on the field earned him a full scholarship to play college football at the University of Georgia in 2013, before he transferred and finished his collegiate career as a third‑year starter at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
After college, Cardiello pursued his dream of professional football. He attended Rookie Camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the NFL team he had long supported as a lifelong fan.
Yet his life after football was defined not just by athletic achievement but by personal resilience and professional purpose. Following the tragic loss of his younger brother Jacob to sudden cardiac arrest in 2021, Cardiello dedicated his career to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry, working at companies such as Amgen.
In his role, he focused on patient advocacy and cardiovascular health, driven by his intimate understanding of the toll that heart disease takes on families.
Josh’s father shared that his son’s compassion, integrity and commitment to patient‑focused work defined who he was both professionally and personally. The experience of losing a brother to sudden cardiac arrest inspired Josh to support health care professionals and patients affected by similar conditions, making real efforts to improve outcomes for people living with cardiovascular disease.
The death of Cardiello has drawn deep sadness not only because of his achievements but also because of its eerie echo with other tragic losses. His brother’s death from sudden cardiac arrest and the memory of former Buford assistant coach Ryan Daniel who also died of a heart‑related event at age 30 have only deepened the sense of loss within the community.
Cardiello leaves behind his wife of more than two years and their young daughter, who survive him along with extended family and a network of friends and colleagues who remember him as a “gentle giant” with a big heart—both on and off the field.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to Who We Play For, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting heart screenings for student‑athletes and raising awareness of sudden cardiac death in young people. His funeral service was scheduled for January 10 at First Baptist Church in Buford.
The loss of Josh Cardiello is a sobering reminder of the hidden dangers of cardiac conditions—even among young, seemingly healthy athletes—and has reignited calls for wider access to heart screening and preventive care for children and adults alike.
