By Paul Kasabian
Former NFL wide receiver and returner Jacoby Jones, whose legendary 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown helped spark the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl XLVII win in February 2013, died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, caused by long-term high blood pressure.
Shannon Person of TMZ Sports reported the news via a medical examiner on Jones, who died at the age of 40 on July 14. His cause of death was listed as natural.
Jones played an invaluable role for the 2012 Ravens en route to their Super Bowl title. He was on the receiving end of Joe Flacco’s 70-yard touchdown pass with 41 seconds left in regulation to help tie the Ravens’ AFC Divisional Round game against the top-seeded Denver Broncos. The Ravens ended up winning 38-35 in double overtime.
He later scored two touchdowns in the Super Bowl, a 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers. One was via the aforementioned kickoff return, but he also snagged a 56-yard touchdown pass from Flacco in the second quarter to help give Baltimore a 21-3 lead.