The Baltimore Ravens and the NFL are mourning the death of O.J. Brigance. The Super Bowl-winning linebacker and longtime Ravens executive died at 56 after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for years. The Ravens announced his passing in a statement, and tributes quickly poured in from players, coaches, fans, and others across the football world.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
On Instagram, Adam Schefter shared the statement that the Ravens released through their profile. The statement looked back at Brigance’s time with the Ravens, which began when he joined the team as a free-agent linebacker in 2000. He quickly made his mark on special teams. In Super Bowl XXXV, Brigance delivered the first tackle of the game on the opening kickoff.
Brigance spent seven seasons in the NFL, including one with the Ravens. He played 98 games and finished with 52 total tackles. After his playing career, he returned to Baltimore in 2004 to work in the Ravens’ player engagement department. Brigance also made history as the only player to win both a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens and a Grey Cup with the Baltimore Stallions.
In 2007, Brigance was diagnosed with ALS, but he did not let the disease control his life. He and his wife, Chanda, launched the Brigance Brigade Foundation to raise money, spread awareness, and support people affected by ALS.
The foundation’s mission was to “equip, encourage, and empower” those living with the disease. Their work also earned recognition from The Baltimore Sun, which named the couple among its “Black Marylanders to Watch.” He also made a clear impact off the field.
His work in player development earned the Ravens the Best Overall Player Development Program award in 2005 and 2006. In 2005, the organization also won the Most Outstanding Internship Program Award. Two years later, Brigance’s efforts helped secure the Outstanding Continuing Education Program Award.
Since Brigance was a major figure in Baltimore, his death hit the Ravens organization hard. Team owner Steve Bisciotti was among those who paid tribute, describing Brigance as someone who had a lasting influence on him. He highlighted Brigance’s welcoming personality and warm smile, saying he had a way of making people feel an immediate connection.
“O.J. will be remembered for his service to our community, to the Ravens and to the fight to find a cure for ALS,” Bisciotti stated. “With heavy hearts, the Ravens organization extends our deepest condolences to Chanda and the entire Brigance family. We are saddened by this loss, and O.J.’s spirit will remain part of this community forever.”
Several Ravens leaders paid tribute to Brigance, including Ozzie Newsome, team president emeritus Dick Cass, general manager Eric DeCosta, and former head coach Brian Billick. But John Harbaugh’s message stood out. Harbaugh knew Brigance personally from years of working closely together within the Ravens organization.
When Harbaugh became Baltimore’s head coach in 2008, Brigance was already part of the player development staff. Brigance regularly attended practices and team meetings, addressed Harbaugh’s players, and exchanged personal emails with the coach. Harbaugh also supported Brigance outside football, with his wife Ingrid and daughter Alison joining an ALS fundraising run for him in 2008.
“O.J. was a great friend to me, my wife and my daughter, and I will always treasure the time we shared with him,” Harbaugh noted as he extended his condolences. “We loved him, and we respected him. He was a hero in our eyes.”
That same strength was reflected in Brigance’s own story. Brigance wrote Strength of a Champion with Peter Schrager while ALS had taken away his speech. Using an eye-gaze computer, he answered weekly questions by email, sometimes sending thousands of words at a time. He said the process was difficult but fulfilling and hoped the book would inspire others to keep pushing through adversity.
His impact reached far beyond the Ravens. After Schefter shared the post, tributes poured in from across the NFL community.
Fans and professionals shower tribute for O.J. Brigance
“You fought a good fight, teammate!!! Much love!!! Rest in peace 🙏🏾,” coach and former teammate Dre Bly wrote in the comments. The two played together for the St. Louis Rams and faced the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI. “Rest well, my brother,” added Nick Luchey, another former player.
But it was his fight against ALS that made the most impact. Even the ALS Association joined in the comments to offer a few words. “Our hearts go out to his family and the Ravens community ❤️❤️❤️❤️,” the association commented.
Fans also honored Brigance’s long fight with ALS.
“He was such a class act, a true warrior on and off the field. May his soul rest in peace and may his family heal every day ✝️🩵🪽🤍🙏🏾,” one fan wrote.
Another recalled Brigance presenting the Lamar Hunt Trophy to the Ravens after their 2012 AFC Championship win over the Patriots, adding, “I’m a Patriots fan. But football comes second to real life. RIP.”
O.J. Brigance’s courage in the face of unimaginable adversity defined him. While the football world has lost a true warrior, the life-changing work of the Brigance Brigade Foundation will continue to inspire.