NFL world mourns as former Ravens icon Jacoby Jones dies at 40: "This one is rough"

Jacoby Jones, who won Super Bowl XLVII with the Baltimore Ravens, has passed away at the age of 40. The cause of death has not been revealed yet.

Fans were overcome with grief at the news and took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their condolences and share their disbelief. Here are some of the reactions from the social media platform.

Perhaps the measure of Jacoby Jones' true greatness came from fans with whom he had met and brought a smile to their faces. Here are some of the people whom he touched and their responses.

"Wow! This is so sad! I met him years ago at Del Frisco’s in Houston, he was so nice. I got a picture with him. RIP"

"RIP Jacoby... Gone too soon... Got to see him interact with the youth and my sons and seemed like great guy"

"Same, I met him when I worked at IAH, super nice guy!"

Former NFL teammates pay tribute to Jacoby Jones

The NFL world was overcome with sadness at Jones' death, and players across the league, including the teams he played for, gave their tributes on social media. Jacoby Jones was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2007 and played with them until 2011.

J.J. Watt, who starred as the defensive mainstay in Houston for much of his career, offered condolences on X, writing:

"Jacoby was one of the most fun-loving teammates and people I’ve ever been around. Always dancing and laughing, with a permanent smile on his face... Gone far, far too soon... R.I.P."

While playing for the Ravens from 2012 to 2014, he won Super Bowl XLVII and was the star of the show. He caught a 56-yard pass and evaded defenders to score a touchdown, before returning a kickoff 108 yards for a score, which remains the longest postseason play in history. Jones also became the first player to accomplish a passing and a return touchdown in the same Super Bowl.

Torrey Smith, who also earned a ring with the Ravens, spoke highly of Jacoby Jones, writing on X:

"My brother! I thank God for the memories and your impact on this world. You were 1 of 1 ! Your play on the field and jokes will live on forever! We have Momma Jones a Lil Coby’s back for life! This one hurt me man! We are going to miss you!... Love you bro!"

Jones would end his NFL career in 2015, playing for the San Diego Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. In less than a decade since then, Jacoby Jones left the world too soon.