Former Steelers WR Found Dead at 40
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Jacoby Jones has died at the age of 40, according to multiple media reports.
Jones was found on Sunday after dying in his sleep, according to Aaron Wilson of KRPC Houston.
Jones spent one season with the Steelers, his final yeah in the NFL in 2015. He played four games in Pittsburgh, exclusively as a punt and kick returner.
Jones was best known for his return-game prowess over his nine-year NFL career.
A third-round pick by the Houston Texans out of Lane College in the 2007 NFL Draft, Jones spent the first five seasons of his playing career in Houston.
In 2012, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens and had a career-best season. He led the NFL in kick return average and brought two back for touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition as a return man. He and the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII, with Jones scoring a receiving and a return touchdown in the win over the San Francisco 49ers.
The following season, one of the most notable Steelers-related moments in Jones’ career happened when Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin disrupted his progress down the sideline, preventing him from scoring a touchdown. Tomlin claimed he did so accidentally. He was later fined $100,000 for the incident. The Ravens won the game.
Jones signed with the Steelers mid-season in 2015 after he had been released by the San Diego Chargers. He later played arena football before retiring as a member of the Ravens.
Since his retirement, he worked as a coach at his alma mater Lane College, Calvert Hall College, Morgan State and Alabama State.
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