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A manhunt was underway in Tennessee on Saturday after the younger brother of San Francisco 49ers back-up quarterback C.J. Beathard and another victim were each fatally stabbed during an early-morning fight outside a Nashville bar, authorities said.
Clayton Beathard, who played football at Long Island University in New York City, was 22 years old. He and the other victim, identified as Paul Trapeni III, 21, were each taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead, Nashville police announced in a statement.
C.J. Beathard, 26, immediately left the team and returned to the Nashville area to support his family, missing Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Rams, the 49ers announced.
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"The 49ers family was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the tragedy involving C.J. Beathard's younger brother, Clayton," the team said in a statement. "We extend our heartfelt sympathies to C.J. and the entire Beathard family as they cope with the unthinkable loss of a loved one. C.J. has traveled home to join his family knowing he has the support of our entire organization as they grieve the passing of Clayton."
The Beathard brothers are grandsons of Hall of Fame football executive Bobby Beathard, and sons of country music songwriter Casey Beathard and Susan Beathard. In addition, their brother Tucker Beathard is a country music singer.
The stabbings "appear to have resulted from an argument over a woman that began inside Dogwood Bar and then turned physical when the parties went outside," according to Nashvile police.
Police released a photo of the suspect who they said was being sought for questioning.
Police released a photo of the suspect who they said is being sought for questioning. (Nashille Police)
The Beathard family released a statement Saturday to The Tennessean newspaper of Nashville.
"It’s times like this I wish had Instagram and social media because the love and prayers have been so overwhelming. We cannot possibly thank you at the rate they come in texts and phone calls," the statement read. "Clay was an amazing, big and soft-hearted human being with an undeniable love for the Lord. He had his family's, friends' and teammates' backs even to a fault. I wish he would have been more inclined to take the high road but he hated 'wrong.'
The statement added: "Yes, he was stubborn sometimes but mostly because his beliefs were strong. He lived a full life except for the chance at being the incredible father I knew he would have been. He loved kids, underdogs and the less fortunate. His little sister was his world and his love and pride for his older brothers was off the charts. He will be missed. That is an understatement. Nobody's light shined like his when he smiled."
C.J. Beathard, whose brother Clayton was slain in Nashville early Saturday, is seen during his college football days at the University of Iowa, Sept. 27, 2014. (Associated Press)
The news hit the 49ers hard Saturday morning, ahead of the game against the Rams in Santa Clara, Calif. Head coach Kyle Shanahan reportedly rushed into C.J.'s room hoping to provide some comfort when hearing of the tragic news. He described his quarterback as "distraught" after finding out his brother had died.
"There's not much you can say," Shanahan said, according to ESPN. "You just try to hold a person and be there for him. We tried to figure it out, what we could do and the quickest way to get him to his family. But that was probably my first time in a situation like that, but I think it's exactly what anybody would expect. There's nothing to say, and it's as tragic and as sad of a thing that can happen."
During the 49ers' postgame locker room speech, Shanahan remembered one thing C.J. told him. "The last thing he said to me when I walked out the door, he stopped me and he said, 'Make sure these guys go win this game.'"
The team did just that. They won 34-31 in exhilarating fashion.
49ers tight end George Kittle -- who played with Beathard in college at Iowa -- described it as "definitely the toughest game of my career."
“Today was absolutely terrible, for me the entire day. It sucked all around. Overall it was just kind of a brutal day. We got that one for C.J. and I'm so happy we were able to do it," he said, according to the outlet.
49ers cornerback Richard Sherman said the entire team was feeling C.J's pain.
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"We feel for him," Sherman said, according to ESPN. "We're hurt. You want to do everything you can to give something positive. It's a terrible time and you can't imagine what he's going through. I can't even fathom or even try to even get there in my mind but you hurt for him because you know that it is pain. You know it's loss."