Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Jaylon Ferguson Dies at 26

By Brian Jones

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jaylon Ferguson died on Tuesday night, the team announced. He was 26 years old. According to ESPN, Baltimore Police said officers responded to a home in the area where they found Ferguson unresponsive and treated by medics. He was pronounced dead on the scene, and the cause of death has not yet been determined as Ferguson's body was transported to the medical examiner's office. 

"We are profoundly saddened by the passing of Jaylon Ferguson," the Ravens 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 was selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Ferguson played in 14 games and recorded 31 tackles, six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In 2020, the Louisiana Tech alum tallied 30 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two sacks in 14 games. Last year, Ferguson notched six tackles in 10 games. 

"He was a wonderful young man full of love and life," Ferguson's agent, Safarrah Lawson, said in a statement. "He will be remembered not just as a football player, but as a great father, son, brother and friend. The family asks for your continued prayers."  

During his time at Louisiana Tech, Ferguson was selected to the All-Conference-USA in 2017 and 2018. He was named Conference-USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 after recording 65 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks. "The LA Tech Family mourns this morning's tragic news of the sudden death of former Bulldog great, Jaylon Ferguson," the Louisiana Tech football team tweeted. "We will remember his God-given talents on the field and his infectious personality off of it. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."

In 2020, Ferguson appeared on Glenn Clark Radio and revealed what he learned from former Ravens and current New England Patriots linebacker Matt Judon. "There is no perfect player. You go with your strengths. You play off your strength and your weakness. He taught me how to [play] off what I've got," Ferguson said per Press Box. "Use my body — tall — [and] use my head when I fake instead of trying to build me into the perfect football player — this height, this strong, this weight. He taught me that I can do everything he can do."

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