- May 2 Bill Torrey, Canadian ice hockey executive (New York Islanders, Florida Panthers), dies at 83
- May 2 Cliff Watson, English rugby league front rower (30 Tests GB, 4 England; St Helens 373 games, Cronulla-Sutherland), dies of cancer at 78
- May 3 Bob Prewitt, American college basketball coach (SMU Mustangs), dies at 93
- May 3 Dan Grimm, American football player (Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons), dies of Parkinson's disease and dementia at 77
- May 3 Joe Scannella, American football coach (Oakland Raiders, Montreal Alouettes, Cleveland Browns), dies at 89
- May 3 Paolo Signorelli, Italian footballer (Trevigliese, Pro Patria, Atalanta), dies at 79
- May 4 Larry Hunter, American college basketball coach (Wittenberg Tigers, Ohio Bobcats, Western Carolina Catamounts), dies at 68
- May 6 Eric Geboers, Belgian motocross racer (5 x world champion; 39 x career Grand Prix wins), dies in a drowning accident at 55
- May 8 James Scott, American boxer and felon, dies at 71
- May 9 Omar Daoud, Libyan footballer, dies in a traffic collision at 35
- May 10 Evgeni Vasiukov, Russian chess grandmaster (World Senior Champion 1995), dies at 85
- May 12 Chuck Knox, American football coach (LA Rams, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks; AP NFL Coach of the Year 1973, 80, 84), dies of dementia at 86
- May 14 Doug Ford, American golfer (PGA Championship 1955, US Masters 1957), dies at 95
- May 16 Michael Slive, American college sports executive (Commissioner SEC 2002-15), dies of prostate cancer at 77
Billy Cannon (1937-2018)
May 20 American College Football Hall of Fame back and tight end (Heisman Trophy 1959, LSU; AFL C'ship 1960, 61, 67; AFL All-Star 1961, 69; Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders), dies at 80
Carol Mann (1941-2018)
May 20 American golfer (1964 Western Open, 1965 US Open), dies at 77
- May 22 Dave Garcia, MLB manager (California Angels, Cleveland Indians), dies at 97
- May 23 László Tábori, Hungarian middle/long distance runner (1,500m world record 1955), dies at 86
- May 25 Bill Mallory, College Football coach (Miami, Colorado, Northern Illinois, Indiana), dies after brain surgery from a fall at 82
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions