The NFL is in mourning.

Retired pro football player Jacoby Jones, who performed within the league for nine years and helped the Baltimore Ravens gather the 2013 Huge Bowl, has died. The Unique Orleans-born athlete, who will almost definitely be a Dancing With the Stars alum, became 40. The cause at the attend of his loss of life became now not launched.

“The NFL is heartbroken to listen to of the passing of Huge Bowl champion Jacoby Jones,” the league acknowledged in an announcement on X July 14. “Our thoughts are with his family and cherished ones.”

Jones, a huge receiver, became drafted into the NFL in 2007 by the Houston Texans. He joined the Ravens in 2012.

“My brother, you’re going to if truth be told be overlooked,” he ragged Baltimore teammate Ray Lewis wrote on X. “They are able to’t take the recollections and the exhausting work you place in on and off the football self-discipline. You continuously gave attend and continuously a pillar within the community, a @Ravens for existence. Take care of ya JJ.”

In 2013, Jones scored two touchdowns for the Ravens in Huge Bowl XLVII, serving to them beat the San Francisco 49ers.

Later that year, Jones competed on Dancing With the Stars with pro dancer Karina Smirnoff. They accomplished in third verbalize. Fellow solid member Val Chmerkovskiy, who placed second with partner Zendaya, paid homage to the athlete following knowledge of his loss of life.

“Leisure in peace my buddy,” he wrote on Instagram. “Acquired a textual dispute material this morning from DC and it broke my coronary heart. Pondering of Jacobys family and his beautiful mother.”

He continued, “I will continuously be jubilant about our friendship previous the dancefloor or the football self-discipline. Thanks for bringing me into your residence, to the cookout, to your charity events, I will omit you. Incandescent mild, continuously making of us laugh spherical him, continuously displaying care for and giving attend.”

In 2015, Jones joined the Pittsburgh Steelers and later, signed with the San Diego Chargers. In 2017, he left the NFL and performed for the Nationwide Enviornment League's Monterrey Steel for plenty of months earlier than signing a one-day contract with the Ravens so he may perhaps perhaps perhaps retire as a member of the team.

The Texans, Steelers and Ravens all paid tribute to the gradual athlete on social media.

“We’re fully heartbroken to learn about the passing of Jacoby Jones,” the Baltimore team wrote in an Instagram submit. “Jacoby had the true capacity to join with each person he encountered. His charisma, pleasure and care for created a one-of-a-form presence that will perhaps perhaps perhaps mild up any room or brighten any darkish day.”

The submit continued, “Jacoby shall be long remembered now not correct for his success on the football self-discipline, nonetheless for the lasting interior most connections he made with infinite of us within the Ravens organization, Baltimore community and every verbalize he known as him. We portion our deepest condolences with Jacoby's family as all of us begin as a lot as job this devastating loss.”