Ravens linebacker Jaylon Ferguson died at age 26, according to a team announcement Wednesday morning. No cause of death has been provided.
The former Louisiana Tech standout had been with the Ravens since 2019, joining the team as a third-round pick. Ferguson died in Baltimore, according to his agent.
Responding Tuesday night, Baltimore City Police found Ferguson unresponsive at home, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets. After being treated by medics, Ferguson was pronounced dead at the scene. No signs of trauma or foul play were found, Hensley adds (on Twitter).
“We are profoundly saddened by the tragic passing of Jaylon Ferguson,” the team said in a statement. “He was a kind, respectful young man with a big smile and infectious personality. We express our heartfelt condolences to Jaylon’s family and friends as we mourn a life lost much too soon.”
Ferguson served mostly as a rotational edge rusher with Baltimore, accumulating 4.5 sacks during his three-year pro career. He started nine games as a rookie and one during the 2020 season. But in college, the 6-foot-5 defender was a historically prolific sack artist.
Ferguson’s 45 sacks at Louisiana Tech are the most in Division I-FBS history. The Louisiana native played extensively in all four years at the mid-major program and closed out his college career with a 17.5-sack season in 2018, a campaign that earned him Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year acclaim.
“Jaylon was a good-hearted, gentle person who loved his family and his team,” John Harbaugh said. “He was a joy to talk with and be around every day. You always wanted to see and talk to ‘Ferg.’”
This tragedy comes during an offseason in which the NFL has lost 24-year-old Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins and 25-year-old Cardinals cornerback Jeff Gladney.
That’s sad.
Sudden adult death syndrome?
Man way too young. My condolenscences to his family and loved ones.
Sadly this seems to be a growing issue worldwide with athletes having heart related issues resulting in death.
I knew him personally, the family, his brother and coached against him over a 3 year period when he was in high school. Nothing but sadness in my heart for this loss.
The only comment so far that should have been posted
I’m sorry for your loss, as well as that of Jaylon’s family. It’s just strange how many young NFL players have died unexpectedly this year.
I wonder if it was COVID related?
It isn’t the vaccine morons he got hit with fentontyl.
Condolences and R.I.P. from Steeler Nation. There football, there’s rivalry, but before those should come compassion and humanity.
Just sad man. Praying for his family and close ones
Aaaaaand the comment section dissolves into a cesspool again. A young man is dead and people are more concerned with why then that it happened. RIP.
Ironically this is the only cesspool comment so far. Of course people are sad for him, and of course people want to understand why – it’s not normal.
The others have been deleted. Let’s not have a repeat.
I think I’d like to know how a healthy 26 year old athlete randomly dies. I’d think most of us on here are around that age or older.
Dark, because “why” may save some lives
Having gone through a lot of losses in my lifetime one of the first reactions to learning of a loved one’s death is, “How did it happen?”
To suggest people are being disrespectful for wanting to know this is just silly and people trying to virtue signal. Stop it. You are no better than anyone else.
Man the Ravens are having a rough day. This young man passes and then the news about Tony “Goose” Siragusa! Just awful!
Want to thank the moderator for deleting a number of insensitive responses here. Sorry to read about the young man here
The staff do an excellent job of moderation and I’m relieved that there was no comment here telling me I could earn $1500 a day by visiting some scam website.
No update to this story?
The cause of death has been announced. Overdose from a combination of Fentanyl and Cocaine.
I am not posting this as any judgement on his character, but as perhaps a wake up call to people doing these drugs or any drugs. You think these big, strong, healthy, young athletes are invincible. They are superheroes. Drugs have destroyed the lives and ended the lives of many of them. Young men cut down in the primes of their lives because they probably thought it could never happen to them. Or, they were too addicted to even worry about the consequences.
Blame biden for this kids death lettin the scum cartels in mexico to run their poison across our borders all day every day