The University of New Hampshire sincerely mourns the great loss of Chris Jeannot: he was a tight end with prowess and promise, a dedicated student, and a friend to all.
Chris, who graduated in 2011, shocked many: his parents, close friends, and all associated with the UNH Wildcats football family. It was shocking and kind of surreal to hear of his passing; people like Chris always seem so full of life.
At 6 feet 6 inches and 261 pounds, Chris exuded the utmost confidence on the field. I remember watching some of his clips from college and marveled at how someone so big could move like that. For a tight end, he even set a team record by catching twelve passes in one game, which is a huge feat.
He played with quarterbacks Rick Toman and Kevin Decker and had some big moments in games against Pittsburgh and UMass. Games like those always stayed in people’s minds because Chris played with all he had.
Chris was that way off the field: serious about his studies and balancing them with football. He earned the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Award for 2010-2011 and has been mentioned on a number of academic team lists. In the UNH athletic community, they affectionately referred to him as the “Gentle Giant.” He was never loud or proud. He quietly held his head high, always smiling and spurring others on.
He was born in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on February 5, 1989. His loving and supportive parents were Mike and Jo Jeannot. He went to Moon Area High School, where he played football and basketball. His basketball team won three WPIAL championships; that’s commitment from a pretty early age!
He majored in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise science at UNH. Balancing that with football must have been tough, but Chris went on with it as if he were someone who knew what he wanted out of life. I even used to have difficulty juggling simple schoolwork with sports, so it is always inspiring to see someone who did both at that level.
There have been so many messages of condolence posted on social media by friends, former teammates, and members of the UNH community. Everyone talks about how nice he was and how he treated people with respect. Some mentioned the spectacular plays he made on the field, while others remembered how he listened or helped them through hard times.
Alumnus Bobby Jean shared that he is very saddened by Chris’s life being cut short and expressed his condolences to the Jeannot family. Kevin Peters remembered Chris as a great teammate and a great guy. There were many who said simply, “he was the best, and we will miss him.”
The life of Chris Jeannot displayed an example of strength and humility. For so many, through his deeds on the field, his academic achievements, and the warmth he exuded toward everyone around him, this loss is tragic.
The UNH community will forever cherish his memories. He will be remembered as an athlete, a student, and a Gentle Giant who impacted so many lives within a brief time. You may also be interested in: Search Underway for 13-Year-Old Football Player Roman Sutton in Maryland
