Jacoby Jones, ex-NFL receiver who caught Mile High Miracle, dies aged 40

Former NFL wide receiver and special teams ace Jacoby Jones has died at the age of 40. No cause of death has been released.

“We are devastated to learn of Jacoby Jones’ passing,” the Ravens said in a statement Sunday. “Jacoby had the unique ability to connect with everyone he encountered. His charisma, joy and love created a one-of-a-kind presence that could light up any room or brighten any dark day.”

Jones secured his place in Baltimore and NFL history by catching a rainbow shot from Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, nicknamed the “Mile High Wonder”, during the team’s run to Super Bowl XLVII.

With his team facing a third-and-30, Jones hauled in a game-tying 70-yard touchdown pass from Flacco with 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter of Baltimore’s AFC divisional playoff game against the host Denver Broncos. The Ravens eventually won in double overtime.

Three weeks later, Jones had a 56-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter of the Super Bowl and added a kickoff return 108 yards for a touchdown against the 49ers. The latter stands as the longest return in postseason history. To make the memory even sweeter, the Louisiana native’s feat took place at the Superdome in New Orleans.

“In the biggest game, on the biggest stage, he played his best game in his hometown,” former Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome said upon inducting Jones into the team’s Ring of Honor. “It’s surreal.”

Jones played the first five years of his career with the Houston Texans, but was fired after dropping the ball twice in a playoff loss to the Ravens in January 2011.

After joining the Ravens as a free agent, Jones immediately became a spark for the team’s offense and a fan favorite, scoring four touchdowns during the 2012 regular season and adding three more in the playoffs — all in sensational fashion.

Jones returned to the All-Pro team and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2012. He had 203 catches for 2,733 yards and 14 touchdowns in 128 games (starting 33 times) with the Houston Texans (2007–11), Ravens (2012–14), Pittsburgh Steelers (2015) and San Diego Chargers (2015).

Jones signed a one-day contract to retire from the Ravens in 2017. Most recently, he was the receivers coach at Alabama State.

“I loved Jacoby Jones. We all did,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “His spirit, enthusiasm and love for people were powerful. He was a light. My favorite personal Jacoby moment was every time I saw his smiling face filled with joy.”