Barstool Sports’ Cody ‘Beefe’ Franke Dead at 31 After ‘Sudden’ Medical Issue

Cody “Beef” Franke, a popular Barstool Sports personality, has died. He was 31.

On Monday, Oct. 27, the Fore Play podcast announced that Franke, a golf content creator and former PGA professional, had died over the weekend following “a sudden medical issue.”

“We are beyond devastated to announce that our dear friend and beloved Barstool Sports colleague, Cody ‘Beef’ Franke, passed away from a sudden medical issue over the weekend,” the podcast’s social media pages announced in a statement.

“Cody truly loved the game of gold. He selflessly spent much of his life helping others improve and enjoy the game,” the statement continued. “Watching gold being people happiness brought him happiness, and that infectious personality was felt by everyone who met him. He was universally known as the nicest guy in the world.

They said that during his time as a PGA Professional to his more recent stint with Barstool, “Cody made so many people laugh, he made so many people smile, and he simply made so many people better.”

“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Cody’s entire family and loved ones,” the statement concluded. “We’ll be removing our hats for Cody today and every day. Rest in peace to the classiest man we knew.”

A number of Franke’s friends and colleagues took to social media to share their condolences following the media personality’s death.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy shared a statement to X, writing: “Barstool lost a member of our family this weekend.”

“Just tragic news,” he continued, adding the hashtag “#Ripbeef.” “You will never find a nicer more genuine person than Beef. It’s hard to even process it right now. Just another cruel reminder that tomorrow is never promised and to live each day to its fullest.”

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Fellow golf influencer Grant Horvat wrote in an Instagram comment: “Life is wild, this hits. Beef was so nice to everyone he met. God Bless him and his family.”

PGA Tour Coach David Woods added: “I’ve known Cody for many many years during his time in the desert always such a great guy. Very sad to hear this.”

According to a March 2025 PGA profile, Franke, who is originally from Chicago, became the new Head Golf Professional for the Fore Play podcast after spending several years as a PGA of America Golf Professional working at clubs in California and Wisconsin.

The social media personality and golf instructor shared that he received an email from Portnoy that he “originally thought … was a fake email,” saying that they liked his social media content and wanted to bring him onto the team.

During the March interview, Franke described golf as something that “has always been home for me.”

“It’s something I can go do. If you go to the golf course, it doesn’t really feel like work-work — I’m just at a place I’m really happy to be around. I’m home,” he said. “That’s what this has always been for me.”