Former NFL Wideout, Super Bowl Hero Found Dead At Age 40

Former NFL wide receiver Jacoby Jones died overnight in his sleep Saturday, per KPRC in Houston.

No cause of death was immediately announced. Jones was 40 years old.

A New Orleans native, Jones played collegiate football at Lane before he was selected in the third round — 73rd overall — by the Texans in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played the first five seasons of his nine-year career in Houston before making stops in Baltimore, San Diego and Pittsburgh.

Jones will be remembered by most football fans for his incredible contributions in the Ravens’ 2013 playoff run. He teamed up with Joe Flacco for the “Mile High Miracle” in Baltimore’s double-overtime divisional-round win in Denver and became the first player to score a kick-return touchdown and receiving score in a Super Bowl in the Ravens’ thrilling victory over the San Francisco 49ers. To this day, Jones owns league records for longest play and kick return in a Super Bowl (108) and Super Bowl all-purpose yards (288).

The versatile receiver retired from the NFL in 2017 and quickly pivoted to coaching. He returned to his alma mater to serve as a receivers coach before working the same job at Calvert Hall College and Alabama State. He also was Morgan State’s tight ends coach in 2021.

The Texans, Ravens and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin all released statements on Jones’ passing after the news broke.