Jeremy Ioane: Boise State Star’s Battle With Kidney Disease

Jeremy Ioane, a former Boise State football safety and member of the 2014 Fiesta Bowl championship team, has passed away. Boise State Athletics announced the news in a release on Saturday, April 5, 2026, stating that Ioane passed away during the week.

A native of Honolulu, Hawai’i, Ioane played for the Broncos from 2010 to 2014. During his collegiate career, he was a part of four bowl-winning teams and appeared in 41 games, including 29 starts.

Athletic Career and Achievements

Ioane’s tenure at Boise State was marked by significant defensive contributions and individual accolades. After redshirting in 2010, he made his first career start in 2011 against Georgia as a redshirt freshman. He subsequently started 25 of 26 games across the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

His performance earned him All-Mountain West honorable mention honors in 2012 and a spot on the All-Mountain West second team in 2013. By 2014, he was recognized as a preseason Jim Thorpe Award candidate. Over his career, Ioane recorded 146 tackles and five interceptions.

Battle with Kidney Disease

Throughout his playing career, Ioane faced a severe health struggle with kidney disease. During his final season in 2014, he revealed that he had been battling the disease for more than two years while remaining a member of the team.

To continue playing, Ioane underwent dialysis treatment throughout his senior year. While he started the first three games of the 2014 season, his health forced him into a reserve role for the remainder of the year. Despite these challenges, he recorded 11 tackles and two interceptions during that season, with his final tackle occurring on Senior Night against Utah State.

The team that I play for is like a family to me. So I felt like it was the right decision to finish it off with them. To me, it doesn’t matter how much I play, as long as I’m there with the team, there to support the team and do whatever I can to help them win.

Jeremy Ioane to the Idaho Statesman in 2014

His resilience during this period inspired the Bronco community, leading to the creation of the #10aneStrong message. Boise State fans wore shirts featuring the hashtag and Ioane’s No. 10 jersey to show their support during his final season.

In May 2015, Ioane underwent kidney transplant surgery. The organ donor for the procedure was his twin sister, Jasmine.

Legacy at Boise State

Beyond his statistics and championships, Boise State Athletics noted that Ioane served as an inspiration for other athletes from Hawaii. The university stated that starting with Ioane’s arrival in 2010, Boise State has featured at least one player from Hawai’i on its roster every year since.

No cause of death was provided in the announcement of his passing.