Former football player Hugh Douglas’ son Hugh has died after a fatal car crash in Atlanta. He was 20.
Douglas, 52, mourned his late son via Instagram. The former Super Bowl champ posted an array of throwback images of Hugh beginning on Tuesday.
“Your father is the only man that is truly happy you are better than them. You made me so proud,” Douglas, who is currently a radio host for 94.1 WIP in Philadelphia, wrote on Wednesday, September 6, alongside a childhood photo of Hugh.
Hugh’s death was initially announced by Morehouse College, where he was an undergraduate student, via Facebook on Tuesday, September 5.
“Morehouse mourns the loss of Hugh Douglas ’25 and Christion Files Jr. ’25, who were involved in a devastating car accident that resulted in their untimely passing on Monday afternoon,” the social media statement read. “Hugh and Christion were not just friends but also roommates during their sophomore year, and their loss is deeply felt by all of us in the Morehouse family.”
According to the obituary, Hugh was “an exceptional student who displayed immense dedication and promise” as he pursued a degree in business administration with a concentration in finance. Hugh was also a member of the Morehouse Business Association, an AltFinance Fellow, and a Goldman Sachs Fellow as well as an intern at Los Angeles’ Ares Management Corporation this past summer.
Files, a fellow business major, also 20, was Hugh’s friend and roommate. He was the co-captain of the Morehouse track and field team and the media chair for the Junior Class Council.
“During these difficult times, we must come together as a community to remember and celebrate the lives of Hugh and Christion,” the Facebook statement concluded. “They leave a legacy of excellence, passion, and dedication that will continue to inspire us all. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Hugh and Christion. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this incredibly challenging time.”
According to a preliminary report from the Georgia State Patrol and obtained by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Hugh and Files had been “traveling fast in a car while passing another vehicle.” Their car left the roadway, struck two utility poles and overturned. Hugh and Files were both pronounced dead on the scene.
Hugh, for his part, is survived by father Douglas, 52 — a former defender for the Philadelphia Eagles — as well as mother Simona Brown and his siblings. (Douglas, who also has two daughters from a previous relationship, and Brown have since divorced.)
