Just days after Wilson and the Steelers were eliminated from Super Bowl contention, the quarterback and his wife, Ciara, announced that their Great Dane had passed away.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson says Prince, the dog that has been with him since his rookie year, has died. Wilson posted on social media Thursday saying goodbye to his 12-year-old dog.

Russell Wilson and his wife Ciara said goodbye to their 12-year-old dog on Thursday. Wilson made the announcement on Facebook and said they were saying goodbye to their dog, Prince. Prince had survived cancer two times.

With the high stakes and copious amounts of money at play, sometimes people forget that athletes are real people with ups and downs just like everyone else. Russell Wilson, for example, has been highly scrutinized for his play as of late.

The star singer and wife of the Pittsburgh quarterback has been surprisingly quiet of late but shared a touching note on the loss of their beloved pet.

Ciara and her husband, Russell Wilson, announced a devastating loss for their family in heartbroken posts on social media this week. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback was the first to share the news with his fans on Instagram on Thursday,

Heaven got a good one! Forever the Prince of Peace. Love you,” he concluded. Speaking to PEOPLE in May 2019 for the Banfield Foundation's Safer Together initiative in an effo