Former NFL linebacker O.J. Brigance has died at 56 after a courageous 19-year battle with ALS, the devastating disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Brigance, who helped the Baltimore Ravens win the Super Bowl following the 2000 season, died after spending nearly two decades fighting an illness doctors initially warned could take his life within just a few years.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti announced Brigance’s death Monday, calling the loss devastating for the entire organization.
“We are devastated by the awful news that we have lost O.J. Brigance,” Bisciotti said in a statement. “O.J. was a beloved legend, mentor and man to everyone who was fortunate enough to know him.”
Bisciotti called it “a tremendously sad day for Baltimore.”
Brigance was only 37 when he was diagnosed with ALS in 2007. At the time, doctors reportedly told him he could have no more than five years to live.
Instead, Brigance shattered that grim prognosis.
As the disease slowly robbed him of his mobility, he remained a familiar and inspirational presence around the Ravens, regularly attending practices and games with the help of a motorized wheelchair.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh once described Brigance as “the strongest man in the organization” because of the extraordinary determination he showed throughout his lengthy fight.
His battle also became deeply personal for those closest to him.
Brigance was married to Chanda Minor-Brigance, whom he first met in 1989. The couple married in 1994, years before his life-changing diagnosis.
Minor-Brigance remained by her husband’s side throughout his health struggle as Brigance continued to inspire players, coaches and fans with his resilience.
Brigance’s NFL career included stops with the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams before he joined Baltimore. His place in Ravens history was cemented when he became part of the championship team that captured Super Bowl XXXV.
But long after his playing days ended, Brigance became known just as much for the strength he showed away from the football field.
Nearly two decades after doctors gave him a devastating prognosis, Brigance leaves behind a legacy that stretched far beyond the NFL.
He now plays on the Lord’s team.