LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Offensive lineman Mitch Petrus, a walk-on at Arkansas who went on to a three-year NFL career that included a Super Bowl win with the New York Giants, has died. He was 32.

Pulaski County Coroner Gerone Hobbs said Petrus died of heat stroke Thursday night at a North Little Rock hospital after working outside that day at his familys shop near his hometown of Carlisle, which is about 35 miles (55 kilometers) east of Little Rock.

Like much of the country, Arkansas is in the grips of an intense heat wave. The heat index the temperature it felt like in the area where Petrus was working on Thursday was higher than 100 degrees (38 Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.

Petrus played tight end in high school before switching to fullback and then offensive guard for the Razorbacks. Houston Nutt, who coached Arkansas for 10 seasons, said Petrus took those changes in stride.

He had this attitude of a little boy waking up for Christmas every day, every time he came to the field, Nutt told Little Rock TV station KARK on Friday.