- Jan 1 Frank Ryan, American football quarterback (NFL C'ship 1964, 3 × Pro Bowl, NFL passing TD leader 1964, 66; Cleveland Browns), dies from complications of Alzheimer's disease at 87
- Jan 1 Mario Boljat, Croatian soccer defender-midfielder (5 caps; Hajduk Split, Schalke 04), dies at 72
- Jan 2 Alberto Festa, Portuguese soccer right-back (19 caps; FC Tirsense, FC Porto), dies from Alzheimer's disease at 84
- Jan 2 Ángel Castellanos, Spanish soccer defender (3 caps; Granada CF, Valencia CF 363 games), dies from Alzheimer's disease at 71
- Jan 2 Cameron Dunkin, American boxing manager (Diego Corrales, Terence Crawford, Johnny Tapia, Kelly Pavlik, Timothy Bradley, Mikey Garcia), dies of pancreatic cancer at 67
- Jan 2 Carmen Valero, Spanish athlete (IAAF World Cross Country C'ship gold 1976, 77; bronze 1975), dies from a stroke at 68
- Jan 2 Daniel Revenu, French fencer (Olympic gold team foil 1968; bronze x 5; World C'ship gold 1971, 75), dies at 81
- Jan 3 Billy Gardner, American baseball manager (Minnesota Twins 1981–85, KC Royals 1987) and second baseman (World Series 1954 NY Giants, 1961 Minnesota Twins), dies at 96
- Jan 3 René Metge, French rally driver (Dakar Rally 1981, 84, 86), dies at 82
- Jan 4 Rosie Reyes, Mexican tennis player (French C'ships women's doubles 1958 [Yola Ramírez]), dies at 84
- Jan 5 Mário Zagallo, Brazilian soccer forward (33 caps; FIFA World Cup 1958, 62; Flamengo, Botafogo) and manager (Brazil FIFA World Cup 1970; Copa America 1997), dies at 92
- Jan 6 Malcolm Price, Welsh rugby union centre (9 Tests Wales, 5 British & Irish Lions; Pontypool RFC) and rugby league centre (2 Tests GB; Oldham RLFC, Rochdale Hornets), dies at 86
- Jan 7 Duncan Hales, New Zealand rugby union three-quarter (4 Tests; Canterbury RFU, Manawatu RFU), dies at 76
Franz Beckenbauer (1945-2024)
Jan 7 German soccer defender (103 caps; FIFA World Cup 1974; Bayern Munich 427 games; Ballon d'Or 1972, 76) and manager (FIFA World Cup 1990; Bayern Munich), dies at 78
- Jan 8 Frans Janssens, Belgian soccer forward (2 caps; Belgian Man of the Season 1973–74 Lierse SK), dies at 78
- Jan 8 J. P. R. Williams, Welsh rugby union fullback (55 caps Wales, 8 British & Irish Lions; Grand Slam 1971, 76, 78), dies from bacterial meningitis at 74
- Jan 10 Bud Harrelson, American baseball shortstop (MLB All-Star 1970, 71; World Series 1969; Gold Glove 1971 New York Mets) and manager (NY Mets 1990, 91), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 79
- Jan 12 Bev Dovey, English rugby union prop (2 Tests; Bristol RFC 184 games; Western Counties, Gloucestershire), dies at 85
- Jan 13 Stephen Laybutt, Australian soccer defender (15 caps; Brisbane Strikers, Excelsior Mouscron, KAA Gent), dies from suicide at 46
- Jan 14 Norm Snead, American football quarterback (Pro Bowl 1962, 63, 65, 72; NFL completion % leader 1972 NY Giants; Philadelphia Eagles), dies at 84
- Jan 15 Georgios Darivas, Greek soccer forward (16 caps; Olympiacos 270 games) and manager (Olympiacos 1971, 75-76), dies at 97
- Jan 15 Jorge Griffa, Argentine soccer defender (4 caps; CA Newell's Old Boys, Atlético Madrid 227 games), dies at 88
- Jan 17 Bennie Muller, Dutch soccer midfielder (43 caps; AFC Ajax 341 games), dies at 85
- Jan 17 Shawn Barber, Canadian athlete (World C'ship gold pole vault 2019; World Indoor Tour 2016), dies after long illness at 29
- Jan 19 Jack Burke Jr, American golfer (US Masters, PGA C'ship 1956; Ryder Cup 1951, 53, 55, 59; 1973 [non-playing captain]), dies at 100
- Jan 19 Lance Larson, American swimmer (Olympic gold 4x100m freestyle relay, silver 100m freestyle 1960; WR 100m butterfly 58.7s 1960), dies at 83
- Jan 20 Doug Padgett, English cricket batsman (2 Tests, HS 31; Yorkshire CCC, MCC), dies at 89
- Jan 22 Luigi Riva, Italian soccer striker (42 caps; Cagliari 315 games), dies from a heart attack at 79
- Jan 23 Jean Petit, French soccer midfielder (12 caps; AC Monaco 428 games), dies at 74
- Jan 26 Jimy Williams, American MLB baseball infielder (St. Louis Cardinals), coach (World Series Champ - Atlanta, 1995 & Philadelphia, 2008), and manager (Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox (AL Manager of the Year -1999), Houston Astros), dies at 80
- Jan 28 Luis Tejada, Panamanian soccer striker (108 caps; Juan Aurich SA 154 games), dies from a heart attack at 41
- Jan 28 Víctor Luna, Colombian soccer defender (21 caps; Atlético Nacional, América de Cali), dies from a heart attack at 64
- Jan 29 Héctor Sanabria, Mexican soccer defender (7 caps; UNAM Pumas 1965-78) and manager (UNAM Pumas, CD Toluca, CD Veracruz), dies at 78
- Jan 30 Abe Terry, English rugby league front rower (11 Tests; Challenge Cup 1961 St. Helens RLFC [216 games]), dies at 89
- Jan 30 John Dodds, Australian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer (250cc world championship 1973 3rd; 4 x GP wins, 21 x podiums; European Formula 750 1974), dies at 80
- Jan 31 Leif Eriksen, Norwegian soccer forward (4 caps; Vålerenga FC, Eidsvold Turn) and manager (Vålerenga FC, Jevnaker IF, Skeid), dies at 83
- Jan 31 Terry Beasley, American College Football HOF wide receiver (Unanimous All-American 1971 Auburn University; NFL: San Francisco 49ers), dies at 73
Baseball Players
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Boxers
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NFL Stars
Tennis Champions