Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker and special teams standout O.J. Brigance made the first tackle of Super Bowl XXXV, a 34-7 domination of the New York Giants, and he left a lasting legacy on the organization, which he wound up later working for as he battled ALS.
That fight came to end after 19 years, with the Ravens announcing Monday that Brigance has died. He was 56.
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“We are devastated by the awful news that we have lost O.J. Brigance,” Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said in a statement. “O.J. was a beloved legend, mentor and man to everyone who was fortunate enough to know him.”
Bisciotti described Brigance as “one of the first Ravens heroes.” In addition to that auspicious game-opening Super Bowl tackle, he registered three more in the blowout victory over the Giants.
Brigance hailed from Houston and also experienced championship success as a member of the Canadian Football League, in which he helped the Baltimore Stallions win the 1995 Grey Cup.
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After going undrafted out of Rice in 1991, Brigance followed up his time in the CFL with a seven seasons worth of NFL action. That stretch began with the Miami Dolphins, who mourned the death of Brigance on Monday.
Following his run with the Ravens in 2000, Brigance played for the St. Louis Rams and New England Patriots. He logged a tackle during Super Bowl XXXVI as well. He was with the Rams back then. They fell to the Patriots 20-17 at the end of the 2001 season, marking the start of New England’s two-decade dynasty.
Upon hanging up his cleats following the 2002 season, he returned to the Ravens and worked for the organization in player engagement. Brigance collected the award for the NFL’s best overall player development program in both 2005 and 2006.
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He was with the Ravens when they won it all again to wrap the 2012 season.
“For 22 years, we’ve been blessed to have O.J. as a teammate, friend and brother,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “It’s a sad day, but also a celebration of all the gifts that O.J. bestowed upon our team and our city and the entire NFL community.
“O.J. inspired us with humility, faithfulness, determination, competitiveness and love for humankind. We never once saw O.J. angry or frustrated by his disease. Instead, we all witnessed a hero who influenced so many people through his unwavering optimism and grit. O.J. Brigance is the definition of what it means to live like a Raven.”
DeCosta also noted: “I will miss his smile and the twinkle of joy in his eyes.”
The Ravens posted a commemorative video on Monday, honoring Brigance.
At the end of that clip, a younger Brigance is shown answering the question, “What do you think is your legacy?”
“I lived every day,” he said. “I smiled every day. Regardless of the circumstances that came my way, you got the same O.J.
“That I’m constantly being honed and pruned and shaped and molded by life’s circumstances to be a better man. And that’s all I want people to do in their own lives. Never ask the question, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ But more so, “What can I learn from this? How can I impact someone else’s life from the situation that I’m going through?'”
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