Former Clemson LB Altroy Bodrick Passes

CLEMSON, S.C. – Former Clemson linebacker Altroy Bodrick, who played 42 games at linebacker over the 1998-2002 seasons, passed away due to an apparent heart attack on Friday, June 25, 2021. He was 41 years old.

For his career, Bodrick started 18 games, including all 13 during his final year, the 2002 season. He had 151 career tackles, including 13 tackles for loss for 47 yards. He had one interception, six passes broken up and four recovered fumbles over his 1,185 plays of action.

“In losing Altroy to an early death, I lost a best friend and we all lost an incredible human being,” said former teammate Chad Carson, a fellow starter at linebacker for the Tigers. “Altroy, known to his friends as Troy, was a dedicated father, husband, family member, friend and leader, who loved life and spread his infectious smile and laugh wherever he went.

“And of course, Troy LOVED sports. He always remained loyal to his former teams – the Clemson Tigers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – because they had believed in him. For that he was grateful.

“But Troy loved any sport just for the pure enjoyment of the strategy, the technique and the craft of it. He appreciated excellence in sports and in human beings, because excellence was what he was about at his core.”

Bodrick helped the Tigers to the Tangerine Bowl as a graduate student in 2002 when he had a career-high 65 tackles, 45 of which were first hits. He had seven tackles for loss that year.

A native of Cameron, S.C., Bodrick had 43 tackles as a junior in 2000 when the Tigers finished 14th in the final AP poll. He added 36 tackles as a sophomore in 1999 and seven as a true freshman in 1998. He sat out the 2001 season after suffering a torn ACL in practice leading up to that season.

One of his finest performances took place during his first game of action on defense during his sophomore season when he came off the bench to record a career-high 11 tackles in 44 snaps in Clemson’s victory at Maryland. He made his first start the following week in the first Bowden Bowl in 1999 and had seven tackles, including his first career sack.

Bodrick came to Clemson after a stellar high school career in which he helped Fairfield Central to the 3A State Championship and a 15-0 record by recording 91 tackles. Fairfield Central ranked 14th in the final USA Today Super 25 national high school poll. He was named the AAA State Defensive Player of the Year. On the track, Bodrick was the 110-meter hurdles South Carolina state champion at the AA level.

Bodrick graduated from Clemson in August of 2002 with a degree in parks, recreation and tourism management. He served as an intern in the Clemson sports information office in the spring semester and summer of 2002 while he was recovering from surgery.

Bodrick signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after his final year at Clemson. He was employed by the Mercedes-Benz Corporation at the time of his death.

Bodrick is survived by his wife, Brandy, and children, Skylar and Sydney.

Public Viewing
Thursday, July 1
3-7 p.m.
Jenkins Funeral Services
2205 Liberty Street
St. Matthews, SC 29135

Funeral Services
Friday, July 2
11 a.m.
St. Matthews K8 School
135 Saints Ave
St. Matthews, SC 29135