Veteran NFL safety William White, who spent six years with the Detroit Lions, has died after a six-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the team announced Thursday. He was 56.

White, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2016, was first drafted by the Lions out of Ohio State in the fourth round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons, during which time he appeared in Super Bowl XXXIII.

"I loved William," Lions special assistant to president/CEO Chris Spielman said in a statement. "We shared experiences of joy and sorrow on and off the field. He was and always will be my brother."