Chris Mims, former San Diego Chargers defensive lineman, dead at 38

Mims, 38, was discovered shortly before 9:30 a.m. by police officers conducting a welfare check, police said. Coroner's officials declined to comment because Mims' relatives had not yet been notified.

The 6-foot-5-inch Mims was drafted in the first round by the Chargers in 1992. He played eight seasons in the NFL, seven with the Chargers and one with the Washington Redskins. He played in 104 games and racked up 42 sacks and forced 10 fumbles.

He retired in 2000.

Mims had always battled his weight -- he once referred to himself as the "Fat Doctor" because he often tipped the scales at more than 300 pounds -- and had legal and financial problems off the field.

While he had a career-high 11 sacks when the Chargers won the AFC in 1994, he returned the next season and logged only two sacks. After the 1995 season ended with a playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Mims showed up to his team's final meeting almost an hour late and came out of a limousine disheveled.

The Chargers released Mims in April 1997.

A year later, Mims was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of refusing to take a blood-alcohol test after being pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving. His driver's license was suspended for a year. A judge had previously found Mims innocent of driving under the influence because prosecutors failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Mims also faced four misdemeanor charges in September 1999 after a man claimed Mims attacked him outside a fast-food restaurant and stole his tacos.