Jared Danielsen Passes Away At Age 38

[Greg Ambrosius]

This is one of the toughest posts I've ever made on our Message Boards, but here it goes:

Jared Danielsen passed away on Sunday at his home in Belleville, Illinois. He was 38 years old.

Most of you know Jared as one of the most passionate fantasy football players in the industry. He's been competing in our live events since 2009, first joining the NFFC Primetime in Chicago and eventually joining us for the live events in Las Vegas. He was at the Bellagio this past September and competed in his favorite event (by FAR!!!) the NFFC 14-Team Super Auction League. Four weeks later he is no longer with us.

Jared had a posse of friends from his hometown that would come out to Las Vegas each year and make it a team effort. He would have up to six guys drafting for Team Danielsen throughout the weekend -- two at each draft -- but he loved to handle the auctions and was intimately involved in each draft. Since joining the NFFC in 2009, Jared was one of the most accomplished players in the NFFC, having won 8 Primetime league titles, 8 Classic league titles and a 14-Team Super Auction League title in 2017. He currently ranks 10th on our Career Money List with earnings of $284,950.

Oh, and his 14-Team Super Auction League team is 4-0 and third in points. He had seven NFFC teams this year, which is down from past years because he was dealing with a back injury and his business had to move twice in the last year because of problems with the buildings. He didn't start his football prep this year until late August because of those issues, but he felt rejuvenated to be with everyone in Las Vegas and you could see how relaxed he was when competing with old friends in the 14-Team Super Auction League at the Bellagio. In 2020, he couldn't come to Las Vegas because of Covid, but he was on the phone with a proxy to make sure he didn't miss his favorite contest.

Jared came to the NFFC in the most unique of ways. In 2009, there was a newspaper article about him and his friends that got picked up on the national newswire and it caught my attention. Jared and his friends had won a national contest and the game operator (I can't remember the name anymore) did not pay out prizes. He correctly made a spectacle out of that company and when we saw it we offered to comp him an NFFC Primetime team to make up for it, as a goodwill gesture from the industry. Jared was very appreciative and said he could draft in Chicago, and sure enough, he won the Chicago League 2 Primetime title, his first of many. He was hooked and became our first three-time Primetime champion by 2011 before eventually winning 16 Primetime and Classic league titles. But his favorite title was the 14-Team Super Auction League title.

According to Jeff Weber, who drafted with Jared in Las Vegas, Jared was out with friends talking football Saturday night and was looking forward to watching the Bucs-Patriots game together the next night. He passed away in his sleep and friends checked on him when they hadn't heard from him during the day, which was unusual. No foul play is suspected and the family has requested an autopsy.

38 years old. Full of life. Just hard to believe. Hug your children today. Hug your friends. Don't take another day for granted. This sucks. This shouldn't happen at the age of 38 with someone who was full of life.

Our thoughts and prayers and anything else we have go out to Jared's family. He did not have any children and wasn't married, but he was helping to take care of his parents. Everyone has lost a good friend, a good person. If I get more details on anything, I will post here. Sorry for the news.

RIP Jared. You will be missed by many.

[Sideline Sage]

This is shocking, horrible news. Jared was passionate and accomplished fantasy player. He is an excellent auction player. I am so saddened by this news. My prayers are with his family during this time.
What a loss for our community.
Roger

[bald is beautiful]

Reading this saddens me tremendously. Jared was a good fantasy football friend over the years. I met him that first year of his in the Chicago NFFC and we hit it off ever since then. He was a great competitor in the Super Auction for many years. He gave me grief for not making it to Vegas for "the hardest league on the planet" (quoted from his text on September 9) to compete this year, and unfortunately he was right. You never know when family or friends will no longer be there. I will miss our conversations and competitions, my friend. Jack

[kjduke]

Thanks for posting this Greg. Competing against him and his crew in a league this year, as usual. Really a shock and sad that one of the youngest and most enthusiastic guys in the league is gone.

[Coltsfan]

I just can't believe this. Jared was a GREAT guy! We had talked about doing some live events together for the past 3 years but it just never happened because of Covid and life. He will really be missed! Both as a fantasy football player and as a friend. I"m just shocked.


Wayne

[Greg Ambrosius]

Here is a link to Jared's obituary:

https://rennerfh.com/jared-danielsen/

Still hard to believe.

[Coltsfan]

Greg,

If I remember right, Jared had won money in the old contest called Fantasy Jungle and was never paid. I know how much he appreciated what you did for him and was forever customer of yours because of what you did for him at the NFFC.


Wayne

[Tom Kessenich]

There's not much I can add that you guys haven't already said. Jared was a great player and an even better person. This came as a major shock to Greg and I when we found out about it. It was always great to see him and his crew every year in Vegas. Just a great guy, always a joy to talk to. He loved fantasy football and was such a fantastic player. This just came out of nowhere. Such horrible news. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He will be missed.

[chriseibl]

This is really sad, I just wanted to echo everyone else that Jared was a great guy to talk to and always someone I really enjoyed catching up with both in Vegas and during the season. He was a great fantasy player in all formats and a zero-RB pioneer. I struggle to grasp how this could have happened so quickly after seeing him last month and it is certainly a reminder to not take for granted our loved ones. Jared will be missed and my thoughts are with his friends and family at this time.

Chris

[Route C]

This is so sad.It reminds me of how many people the NFFC has brought into each of our lives that we genuinely love and care about. Many of us have gained lifelong friends that are even closer than some family members. We have lost a great member of our community.