The body of a former NFL player who presumably drowned after falling into a North Texas lake has been recovered.
After using sonar equipment Monday in their search at Lavon Lake, dive teams with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department were able to locate 37-year-old JaJuan Dawson at about 11:35 p.m. Monday under 47 feet of water.
More details are expected to be released by the Collin County Sheriff's Office Tuesday morning. Officials have not confirmed Dawson's official cause of death.
Dawson was on a rented boat with three children and two other adults when he fell into the water Sunday evening near Clear Lake Park, family said. The boat was rented from a marina on Lavon Lake and is now docked behind yellow tape.
Dawson was not wearing a life preserver, family members said, and never surfaced after falling overboard. Family members said they didn't know if he knew how to swim.
Dawson, whose LinkedIn profile currently lists him as a Sr. Sales Representative for Boston Scientific, Peripheral Interventions, formerly played in the NFL. His profile page on NFL.com shows he played for in the league for three years after being drafted in 2000 by the Cleveland Browns. Dawson played for the Browns in 2000 and 2001 before joining the Houston Texans in 2002.
Rescuers began searching for Dawson Sunday evening at about 6:30 p.m. after someone called 911 near Clear Lake Park and East Fork Park. Search teams from the Collin County Sheriff's Office, Wylie Fire Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas Game Wardens all assisted in the search until about 11:30 p.m. when it was suspended until dawn Monday.
Officials said they do not believe alcohol was a contributing factor in Dawson's disappearance.
NBC 5's Ellen Bryan, Brian Roth and Julie Fine contributed to this report.
