Ravens Honor Jacoby Jones Before Game

The Baltimore Ravens paid tribute to the Super Bowl 47 hero before their preseason opener.
Oct 26, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 26, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports / Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
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It's been an emotional few weeks for the Baltimore Ravens, all stemming from the tragic death of former wide receiver/kick returner and Super Bowl 47 hero Jacoby Jones.

In the early morning hours of July 14, Jones tragically passed away in his hometown of New Orleans just three days after his 40th birthday. No cause of death was revealed initially, but a report earlier this week stated that Jones died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, a chronic condition linked to high blood pressure.

There's been an outpour of support from Ravens past and present in the weeks since Jones' passing, and Friday may have been the greatest tribute yet. Just before their preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Ravens heald a moment of silence to honor Jones' memmory in front of the home crowd.

Jones spent three seasons in Baltimore from 2012-14, though it was his 2012 playoff run that cemented him as a Ravens icon.

First, in a play that is now dubbed the "Mile High Mircale," Jones hauled in a game-tying 70-yard bomb from Joe Flacco with less than a minute left in a Divisional Round showdown against the Denver Broncos. The Ravens would go on to win 38-35 in double overtime.

Then just a few weeks later in Super Bowl 47, Jones scored two massive touchdowns - a 56-yard reception and a 108-yard kickoff return - to help the Ravens win their second championship in franchise history.

Jones also played for the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers throughout his nine-year career, so the impact of his loss is felt well beyond the city of Baltimore.

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Jon Alfano

JON ALFANO