On the field, Randy White once instilled fear in his opponents. Now the former Super Bowl MVP is fighting a very different battle.

On the NFL field, Randy White was a legend. He spent 14 seasons as a defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys, appeared in three Super Bowls with the team, and was even named MVP when “America’s Team” won the 12th Super Bowl.

Now, the nine-time Pro Bowler is fighting a very different battle than the ones he once faced on the field. White wants to raise awareness of the deadly dangers of fentanyl after his son-in-law died from fentanyl poisoning.

Snowboarder Jesse Dempsey, the former NFL pro’s son-in-law, had unknowingly taken a pill laced with the opioid because he thought it was a prescribed painkiller for a knee injury. But it was not.

“He was a professional snowboarder. He was a good kid. He was out all day planting trees and his friend, who has a bum knee, gave him what he thought was a real pill, but it was laced with fentanyl,” the now 72-year-old explained. Dempsey is survived by his wife Jordan and their two children.

After taking the pill, the 42-year-old had still made his way home. However, the NFL legend’s daughter, who was at home, was unable to save her husband’s life. “She didn’t even realize what was happening. That’s why educating people out there is so important. If you don’t know what’s happening, how can you help them?”

The problem: the Hall of Famer himself had never heard of fentanyl when he was told the news of his son-in-law’s death. And so it may be for many other people.

Fentanyl a big problem in the US

To ensure that as few others as possible suffer the same fate as his family, White is now determined to raise awareness. He has joined forces with high school coaches across the US to found the non-profit organization “Coaches vs. Overdoses”, which is dedicated to the fight against fentanyl.

“The coaches are out there. They are with the kids. The kids look up to the coaches. They are very influential,” says the former athlete.

His most important message is clear: ‘A pill can kill you. Don’t take anything that doesn’t have your name on the prescription. Don’t take it. And anyone who tries to tell you, ’Hey, you’re a coward, you can do it.’ They’re not your friend. Run away from them.”

Fentanyl is a morphine-like substance used to relieve severe pain. In the United States, it is increasingly being used as an intoxicant and is responsible for a high and ever-increasing number of overdose deaths.