Jacoby Jones, a former Chargers wide receiver and Super Bowl winner, has died at 40. The cause of death has not been disclosed, but the Jones family verified that he died ‘peacefully’ in his sleep, according to a statement from the NFL Players Association. Jones, a former third-round pick, played eight seasons in the NFL. He has previously played for the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
“It’s difficult to find words when you’re heartbroken,” Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, who worked for the Ravens when they signed Jones, said after his death. “Jacoby had such a great spirit. His zeal for the game, and for life, was contagious. His smile, energy, and desire made things much more enjoyable for Everyone who has the good fortune to know him. Our thoughts are with Jacoby’s family and everyone who loved him, which is undoubtedly too many people to count.
While there are few certainties in life, I am confident that Jacoby made us all better. Jones’ most notable performance throughout his playing career was with the Ravens in the 2012 playoffs. The Ravens were down seven points in the Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos with only 40
seconds left when Jones grabbed a 70-yard pass from Joe Flacco to tie the game. The Ravens went on to win the game after double overtime. After his playing career, Jones worked as a high school and college assistant football coach. Three weeks later, in the Super Bowl, Jones helped the Baltimore Ravens win over the San Francisco 49ers with a dominant game in which he caught a 56-yard touchdown pass and returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown, which still holds the record for the longest play in Super Bowl history. Jones was known by teammates and coaches as a fun, hard worker, and a light in the world.
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