Football was only part of O.J. Brigance’s story. Long after his playing career ended, his courage in the face of ALS turned him into an inspiration far beyond the sport. As news of his passing came, New York Giants HC John Harbaugh remembered Brigance not merely as a former player, but as a hero whose strength touched countless lives.
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“O.J. Brigance was a great man,” Harbaugh captioned his recent Instagram post. “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.”
O.J. Brigance passed away at the age of 56 on August 17, 2026, following a 19-year-long battle with ALS. Brigance was diagnosed with ALS in 2007 when he was 37, just three years after retiring from professional football.
While doctors initially gave him a life expectancy of two to five years, he outlasted that prognosis by nearly 15 years. Brigance was a philanthropist who, alongside his wife Chanda, founded the Brigance Brigade Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars to fund equipment and care grants for families living with ALS.
But before ALS happened, O.J. Brigance was a standout football player. He played seven seasons in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins (1996-1999), Baltimore Ravens (2000), St. Louis Rams (2001, 2002), and New England Patriots (2002). However, the best of his NFL career came during his only season with the Ravens.
During Super Bowl XXXV, Brigance made the opening tackle of the game against the New York Giants, which the Ravens eventually won 34-7.
The bond between John Harbaugh and O.J. Brigance was formed during their time together in Baltimore. Before signing with the New York Giants earlier this year, Harbaugh was the head coach of the Ravens (2008-2025). At that time, Brigance was the director of player development for the franchise, a role that he held from 2004 until his passing.
In Harbaugh’s eyes, Brigance was always “the strongest man in the organization,” who battled ALS with all his will and never let the illness decide the narrative of his life. Brigance’s demise has deeply shaken John Harbaugh and many more, not just the Baltimore Ravens, but the league as well.