Dean Wells, former NFL linebacker and Kentucky standout, dead at 54 following cancer battle

"There's mental toughness that comes into it. You have to have a positive attitude that you can beat it. I've done everything that I can with that. It's like the chemo either works or it doesn't. You just don't have a lot of control over it. You wish you had more control," he said at the time. 

"Condolences to family & friends of Dean Wells, who has passed away," the university said in a statement on social media. 

"A 3-year starter, he set a UK single-game record with 5 sacks vs. Indiana and went on to a 9-year NFL career. After NFL retirement, he returned to hometown Louisville and was a staunch supporter of the Wildcats."

Wells is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their two sons.