Former Ohio State and Chargers offensive lineman Shane Olivea has died, the Chargers confirmed on Thursday.

He was 40 years old. The cause of his death has not been made public at this time.

Olivea was a standout for the Buckeyes from 2000 to '03 and started every year since joining the squad. He was chosen second team-All Big Ten twice. The 6'5" 325-pounder was picked in the seventh round of the the 2004 draft by the Chargers.

He gained the starting job in San Diego and ended up starting 57 of 60 games while there. He was also part of the offensive line that set the way for LaDainian Tomlinson's record-breaking 2006 season where he ran for 28 touchdowns - the most ever in a single season.

Olivea requested the Chargers for his release in 2008 in order to cope with his addiction to opioids, and entered into a treatment clinic that spring, according to Buckeyes Now. He spent 89 days at the facility before signing with the Giants.

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Olivea had said to The Columbus Dispatch in 2017 that his addiction during his playing days was so bad, doctors told him he was fortunate to be alive. ""At my peak Vicodin, I took 125 a day," he said. "It got to the point where I had a bunch of 15 Vicodin and had to eat them with chocolate milk. If I made it with water or Gatorade, I would throw it away," he further revealed.

He unexplained the unfortunate link between being loaded with cash and addiction to drugs. "If you have cash, you can buy anything you want," Olivia said. "I'll buy myself a few hundred Vicodins or I'll move to Oxycontin," he added.

Ultimately, he revealed that he spent nearly a staggering $584,000 on pain medication. His addiction caused him to withdraw from his teammates, and his relationship with coaches and management were ruined as a result. He came off the bench late in the 2007 season, and his weight reached almost a whopping 390 pounds.

HIs stint on rehab did him massive good, and he later said he had aspirations of coaching football and mentoring kids.

Former mates and friends shared their shock and sadness over the news in social media.

His good friend and ex-Buckeye teammate Bobby Carpenter shared his condolences and tribute on social media. "I'll never forget the kindness he showed to a young freshman who was clueless and didn't know anything about anything," Carpenter said in a statement on Twitter. "#RIPShane #Thankyou."

"Very sad to hear the news of my former teammate Shane Olivea," ex-NFL O-lineman Roman Oben said on Twitter after learning of the news. "Praying for his family today."