Jacoby Jones only played three seasons for the Baltimore Ravens, but his impact on the city and its fans will be felt for years to come.
Jones, a wide receiver and All-Pro kick returner for the Ravens from 2012 to 2014 who was also a Super Bowl hero, died Sunday, the organization announced. He had just turned forty on Thursday.
The NFL Players Association issued a statement on Jones’ behalf, stating that he died “peacefully at his home in New Orleans.”
Jones was the star of Baltimore’s Super Bowl 47 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in his home city of New Orleans. He caught a 56-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and opened the second half with a Super Bowl-record 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, helping the Ravens take a 28-6 lead that they held for a 34-31 triumph to win the organization’s second championship.
“We are completely heartbroken to learn about the passing of Jacoby Jones,” the Ravens said in a statement. “Jacoby had a special ability to connect with everyone he met. His charm, excitement, and love combined to produce a one-of-a-kind presence that could brighten any room or day.
“Jacoby will long be remembered not just for his success on the football field, but for the lasting personal connections he made with countless people in the Ravens organization, Baltimore community and every area he called home.”
Jones’ impact on the field extended beyond the Super Bowl.
He also caught a 70-yard, game-tying touchdown pass in the final seconds of regulation in the Ravens’ AFC divisional round playoff game against the Denver Broncos that season, which Baltimore won in double overtime. Known as the “Mile High Miracle,” it was chosen the greatest moment in franchise history during the NFL’s 100th anniversary in 2019.
“I loved Jacoby Jones. “We all did,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “His spirit, enthusiasm, and love for others were strong. He was like a light. Ms. Emily, his loving mother, treasured him as her son. They were really close. He was a man of faith.
“My favorite football play was Jacoby’s conversation with his mother in the end zone, shortly before a late-game kickoff return against the Vikings in a snowstorm shootout. Jacoby then rushed to catch the ball and return it for a touchdown. My favorite Jacoby personal moment was when I saw his joy-filled smile. Rest in peace, Jacoby, in Jesus’ arms.
Jones played nine seasons in the NFL after the Texans took him with the 73rd selection in the third round of the 2007 draft from Division II Lane College. He spent his first five seasons in the league in Houston, where he demonstrated his talent early on. His first touchdown reception occurred in Week 2 of his rookie season against the Tennessee Titans, and four weeks later, he returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins.
Jones had 127 catches for 1,741 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Texans until being released in 2012. He also scored four times on kick and punt returns. The Ravens signed him to a two-year, $7 million contract, and he quickly made an impression.
Six games into his Ravens tenure, Jones delivered another highlight-reel performance, returning an NFL-record 108 yards kickoff for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in Baltimore’s 31-29 triumph at M&T Bank Stadium. Three games later, he recorded a 105-yard return for a touchdown in a 55-20 victory over the then-Oakland Raiders, making him the only player to return two kicks for at least 105 yards in the same season.
The next week at Pittsburgh, Jones returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown, boosting Baltimore to a 13-10 victory against its arch AFC North foe, the first time a Ravens player had returned a punt for a touchdown against Pittsburgh. His five total return touchdowns for the Ravens rank second in franchise history.
Then came his playoff game against the Broncos and ace quarterback Peyton Manning in Denver.
With 44 seconds left in the fourth quarter and facing a third-and-3 from their own 30-yard line, Jones sprinted past Denver defensive backs Tony Carter and Rahim Moore, and quarterback Joe Flacco connected with him for a 70-yard touchdown pass. Justin Tucker, a rookie at the time, then made a 47-yard field goal to seal the victory in the second overtime period.
Baltimore went on to upset the New England Patriots 28-13 in the AFC championship game at Gillette Stadium before defeating the 49ers in the Super Bowl in New Orleans, thanks in large part to Jones’ 290 all-purpose yards, which set a Super Bowl record.
“My brother, you will truly be missed,” Ray Lewis, a Baltimore Ravens linebacker and Pro Football Hall of Famer, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “They can’t take away your memories and the hard work you put in on and off the football field. You have always given back and been a cornerstone in the community, a @Ravens for life. “Love you, JJ.”
Jones, who appeared on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2013 and finished third with Karina Smirnoff, stayed with the Ravens through the 2014 season before being released and spending the next season with the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for Pittsburgh under coach Mike Tomlin, who infamously tripped Jones on the sideline while returning a kick for a touchdown during a nationally televised game on Thanksgiving night in 2013.
