Jaylon Ferguson died on Tuesday, June 21. The NFL player was 26 years old. An up-and-coming linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, Jaylon’s death was unexpected and local authorities are still investigating his cause of death. Find out everything you need to know about Jaylon here.
1. Jaylon was a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens
Jaylon was drafted to the NFL in 2019. He played his first game with the team that September against the Kansas City Chiefs. He was known for his tackling ability. The team mourned his loss in a tweet. “We are profoundly saddened by the tragic passing of Jaylon Ferguson. 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,” the team said in a statement.
2. His cause-of-death isn’t known
Jaylon was pronounced dead on the scene by local medics. Although the cause of death has not been revealed yet, local police said that “No signs of trauma [were] found or foul play suspected at this time,” according to The Associated Press.
3. He went to Louisiana Tech University
Before getting drafted to the NFL, Jaylon played for the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs from 2014 to 2018. During his collegiate career, he landed 187 tackles and 45 sacks, per the team’s stats. The college football team also released a statement mourning his loss. “We will remember his God-given talents on the field and his infectious personality off of it,” they wrote in a tweet.
4. His nickname was “Sack Daddy”
Throughout his college career, Jaylon broke his school’s record in number of sacks during his senior year. While he only landed 4.5 sacks during his short time in the NFL, his nickname “Sack Daddy” stuck. Jaylon said the nickname was inspired by another player whose nickname was “Mack Daddy” in a 2018 interview with News Star. “When he came in right around the time of the UTSA game, he started calling me Sack Daddy,” he said. “After a little bit, it stuck with me. Then I started calling myself Sack Daddy a little bit on Instagram, next thing I know I got a whole article on Sack Daddy. It’s crazy.”
5. He was engaged and a father of two
Besides being an amazing linebacker, Jaylon was also an incredible dad to two wonderful children. He would regularly share photos of his son Jyce, 4, and Jrea, 3, on his Instagram. He was engaged to his kids’ mom Doni Smith. After his death, Doni has shared emotional tributes to the player. “Never in a million years, I thought I’d be saying RIP to you. My soul aches sooo bad baby,” she wrote in a Story. “Please watch over us.” She also shared adorable photos and videos of Jaylon with his little ones.