Baltimore Ravens Announce Death of Super Bowl-Winning LB O.J. Brigance

Brigance, who founded the Brigance Brigade Foundation to combat ALS, was 56 years old.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens former player O.J. Brigance (right) and New Orleans Saints former player Steve Gleason (left) attend Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Baltimore Ravens have announced that Super Bowl-winning linebacker O.J. Brigance died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brigance, who served as the director of player development for the team from 2004 until Monday at the time of his death, was 56 years old.

"We are devastated by the awful news that we have lost O.J. Brigance,” Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said in a statement. “O.J. was a beloved legend, mentor and man to everyone who was fortunate enough to know him. He was a vibrant person who became one of the first Ravens heroes with his passionate play, including the first tackle in the 2000 Super Bowl.”

Born and raised in Houston, Tx., Brigance played football for Rice University, was a multi-year starter and a liaison to the career services office. The former linebacker completed his degree in managerial studies in 1992. He went on to play in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League for nearly 10 years – playing for both the Baltimore Stallions (CFL) and Ravens (NFL) and winning a championship with both clubs in the 1995 and 2000 seasons respectively. 

Brigance was diagnosed with ALS just three years after his playing career ended in 2007. His activism to combat the disease was evident in his creation of the Brigance Brigade Foundation, leading to his earning of the 2016 NCAA Inspiration Award. This honor is bestowed upon an individual who “when confronted with a life-altering situation used perseverance, dedication and determination to overcome the event and now serves as a role model to give hope and inspiration to others in similar situations.”

Ravens executive vice president/player personnel Newsome worked with Brigance in the front office for 22 years. Brigance joined the team prior to the 2000 season, while Newsome was serving as the executive vice president/player personnel for Baltimore.

After Brigance won a Super Bowl with the Ravens, he went to play for the then-St. Louis Rams in 2001, the New England Patriots in 2002 and finished his career in the same season with the Rams. The two reunited in Baltimore in 2004, where they’ve worked together since.

"I am devastated and at a loss for words,” Newsome said in a statement. “ O.J. was one of the most genuine, sincere people I have ever known. From the moment he arrived in Baltimore, you could feel his energy. His amazing smile, welcoming nature and infectious personality made everyone around him feel like family.”

The longtime Ravens executive is remembered fondly by current and former members of the organization including president emeritus Dick Cass, executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta, former head coach Brian Billick and his wife Kim Billick, along with former head coach John Harbaugh.

"We are heartbroken,” Cass said in a statement. “No one embodied what it means to be a Raven quite like O.J. Brigance. Not just the unforgettable first tackle in Super Bowl XXXV, but for every day since, when he showed all of us how to fight with faith and grace.”

"For 22 years, we've been blessed to have O.J. as a teammate, friend, and brother,” DeCosta said in a statement. “It's a sad day, but also a celebration of all the gifts that O.J. bestowed upon our team and our city and the entire NFL community.”

"We have lost a very special soul in O.J. Brigance,” the Billick family said in a statement. “O.J. has been a member of the Ravens family for over 25 years and was an inspiring symbol of grace, class, compassion and competitive competence. If asked who best represents what we all aspire to as an organization and a person, O.J. would be the first person I would point to. Our thoughts are with his family with this loss, but he will forever remain in our hearts."

"O.J. Brigance was a great man,” Harbaugh said in a statement. “On behalf of Ingrid, Alison and our family, we extend our deepest condolences to the entire Brigance family.

"O.J. was a great friend to me, my wife and my daughter, and I will always treasure the time we shared with him. We loved him, and we respected him. He was a hero in our eyes.

"O.J. was a man of great faith who was given a very challenging purpose, and he met it perfectly in every way through the great glory of God. I look forward to seeing him again in heaven someday."