Jacoby Jones: Ravens Legend On and Off Field

The Baltimore Ravens and their fans mourn the loss of legendary receiver/kick returner Jacoby Jones.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) returns a Super Bowl record 108-yard kickoff for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Unimaginable heartbreak struck the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, as Super Bowl 47 hero Jacoby Jones tragically passed away just three days after his 40th birthday.

Jones spent three years in Baltimore from 2012-2014, but it was his first playoff run that turned him into a franchise legend.

The story began when he caught a 70-yard bomb from Joe Flacco to tie the Divisional Round game against the Denver Broncos with less than a minute to go, leading to the Ravens knocking off the AFC's top seed in double overtime. Then in the Super Bowl just a few weeks later, he scored two massive touchdowns - one a 56-yard pass from Flacco and the other a 108-yard kickoff return - to help Baltimore win its second championship in franchise history.

But if you're reading this article, then you already knew that. Everyone knows the legend of Jacoby Jones the player, but the story of Jacoby Jones the person is just as impressive, if not more so.

Just six weeks ago, I had the honor of speaking with Jones for an exclusive interview, and just in that 10-minute conversation, his passion for life itself was crystal clear. The highlight of that conversation was his new job as head coach of the Beaumont Renegades, a National Arena League team set to begin play in 2025, and his enthusiasm was on full display.

"I was overwhelmed, like when I got the phone call, we talked, and I accepted it," Jones said in the interview. "They called me like 'Hey, your show.' I was like 'Alright I'll take it,' then I said 'Let me call you all back.' Had to look myself in the mirror and say 'Hey, you got some weight on your shoulders."

Little did I, or anyone else, know at the time that he would tragically never get to fulfill that dream.

What makes the situation even more tragic is that Jones appeared perfectly healthy just before his passing. He attended mandatory minicamp last month alongside dozens of other Ravens alumni, and on Wednesday, he was inducted into the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Hall of Fame, another huge achievement that we discussed in our interview. Now, less than a week later, he's gone far too early at just 40.

On a day that's nothing short of tragic, the outpouring of love from Jones' loved ones show how special he was. From his former Ravens teammates to Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who briefly coached him back in 2015, to the countless fans he made throughout his career, people from every corner of the football world took the time to reflect on how Jones impacted them. If that's not the mark of a special player on and off the field, then what truly is?

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