# Jacoby Jones
**Jacoby Jones** (1984 – July 14, 2024) was an American professional football player, a wide receiver and return specialist who played nine seasons in the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league) and starred in the [Baltimore Ravens](https://www.edgepedia.org/baltimore-ravens)' Super Bowl XLVII championship, setting a [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl) record with 290 combined yards in a single game.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver and return specialist (kickoff and punt returns) |
| Draft | Houston Texans, 3rd round (73rd overall), 2007 NFL Draft[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JoneJa03.htm) |
| Teams | Houston Texans (2007–2011), Baltimore Ravens (2012–2014), Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers (2015)[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40) |
| Career totals | 128 games; 203 receptions for 2,733 yards and 14 touchdowns; 183 kickoff returns for 4,940 yards (27.0 average) and 5 touchdowns; 276 punt returns for 2,688 yards and 4 touchdowns[3](https://www.nfl.com/players/jacoby-jones/stats/career) |
| Signature plays | 108-yard kickoff return touchdown in Super Bowl XLVII, the longest play in Super Bowl history; 70-yard touchdown catch, the "Mile High Miracle," in the 2012 Divisional Round[4](https://fliphtml5.com/mseao/teac/2013_Ravens_Media_Guide/149/) • [5](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/history/super-bowl-xlvii) |
| Honors | Pro Bowl and All-Pro returner in 2012; led the NFL with a 30.7 kickoff return average that season[6](https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/coroner-rules-former-ravens-wr-jacoby-jones-died-of-heart-disease/) • [7](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/v1578685779/patriots/beahcaj8k6cjn6iasia5.pdf) |
| Died | July 14, 2024, at his home in New Orleans, at age 40; the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office ruled the death resulted from hypertensive cardiovascular disease, a natural cause[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40) • [6](https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/coroner-rules-former-ravens-wr-jacoby-jones-died-of-heart-disease/) |
## Early career with the Texans
Jones entered the NFL when the [Houston Texans](https://www.edgepedia.org/houston-texans) selected him in the third round, 73rd overall, of the 2007 draft[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JoneJa03.htm). He spent five seasons in Houston, where his role grew from reserve receiver to regular returner. His 2011 season included 49 punt returns for 518 yards and a touchdown, with a long return of 79 yards, and 31 receptions for 512 yards and 2 touchdowns[3](https://www.nfl.com/players/jacoby-jones/stats/career). A muffed punt in the 2011 AFC Divisional playoff against Baltimore helped set up a Ravens touchdown, a play that preceded his move to the Ravens as a free agent in 2012[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40).
## The 2012 season and the record return
In his first Baltimore season Jones became one of the league's most productive returners. He ranked first in the NFL with a 30.7 kickoff return average and scored three combined return touchdowns, two on kickoffs and one on a punt[7](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/v1578685779/patriots/beahcaj8k6cjn6iasia5.pdf), and he was named to the [Pro Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-bowl) and selected as an All-Pro returner[6](https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/coroner-rules-former-ravens-wr-jacoby-jones-died-of-heart-disease/).
**The 108-yard return.** On October 14, 2012, against the [Dallas Cowboys](https://www.edgepedia.org/dallas-cowboys), Jones took a kickoff eight yards deep in his own end zone early in the third quarter and ran it all the way back for a touchdown, putting the Ravens up by 11 points in a 31-29 win. The 108-yard return tied the NFL record for the longest kickoff return, set by Ellis Hobbs of the [New England Patriots](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-england-patriots) in 2007 and matched by Green Bay's Randall Cobb the previous season. The jersey Jones wore on the play was donated to the [Pro Football Hall of Fame](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-football-hall-of-fame) and placed on exhibit in the Pro Football Today Gallery[8](https://www.profootballhof.com/news/jones-record-tying-kor-noted-in-hof).
## The 2012 playoff run and Super Bowl XLVII
Jones's most celebrated stretch came in Baltimore's three-game run to the Super Bowl title. In the Divisional Round at Denver, facing third-and-three with 31 seconds remaining in regulation and the Ravens trailing, quarterback [Joe Flacco](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-flacco) found Jones, who had gotten past defenders down the right sideline, for a 70-yard touchdown that tied the game at 35-35. Baltimore won 38-35 in double overtime, in what became the fourth-longest game in NFL history at 4 hours 11 minutes[5](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/history/super-bowl-xlvii). The play became known as the "Mile High Miracle"[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40).
In [Super Bowl XLVII](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl-xlvii) against the [San Francisco 49ers](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-francisco-49ers) at the Superdome in his native New Orleans, Jones scored twice. Late in the second quarter he fell to the turf while catching a deep pass, got up, and evaded two defenders for the final nine yards of a 56-yard touchdown. Opening the second half, he returned the kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown, the longest play in Super Bowl history[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40). Across the game he totaled 290 combined yards, a Super Bowl record, including 206 yards on kickoff returns, a 56-yard touchdown reception, and 28 punt return yards, in the Ravens' 34-31 victory[4](https://fliphtml5.com/mseao/teac/2013_Ravens_Media_Guide/149/). In doing so, Jones made Super Bowl history as no player had ever before found the end zone on both a catch and a return within one game.[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40)
## Later career and career statistics
Jones played three seasons with the Ravens, adding 16 kickoff returns for 16 yards of rushing and 37 receptions for 455 yards and 2 touchdowns in an injury-shortened 2013, and 32 kickoff returns for 978 yards and a touchdown in 2014[3](https://www.nfl.com/players/jacoby-jones/stats/career). His 2014 season included 148 kickoff return yards in a playoff game at New England[9](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1598641387/league/hhw2gjmmjklm8ghcdgtg.pdf). He finished his career in 2015 with brief stints on the [Pittsburgh Steelers](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh-steelers) and the then-[San Diego Chargers](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-diego-chargers)[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40).
His career line across 128 regular-season games: 203 receptions for 2,733 yards and 14 touchdowns, plus nine return touchdowns, five on kickoffs and four on punts[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40). His 4,940 career kickoff return yards at a 27.0-yard average placed him among the NFL's top 20 career kickoff returners by average[3](https://www.nfl.com/players/jacoby-jones/stats/career) • [10](https://www.profootballhof.com/news/top-20-kick-return-average).
## Death and remembrance
Jones died on July 14, 2024, three days after his 40th birthday, at his home in New Orleans; his family said he died peacefully. The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office later ruled that he died of natural causes from hypertensive cardiovascular disease[6](https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/coroner-rules-former-ravens-wr-jacoby-jones-died-of-heart-disease/). Teammates including J.J. Watt, [Torrey Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/torrey-smith), Anquan Boldin, and [Ray Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/ray-lewis) posted tributes, and former coach Mike Tomlin, who coached him in Pittsburgh, offered condolences[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40).
The Ravens honored him through the 2024 season with "Jacoby 12" decals on their helmets, dedicated a training camp practice to him, and staff wore No. 12 bandanas on the day of his funeral, which was held in New Orleans[11](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/ravens-to-wear-helmet-decals-honoring-joe-d-alessandris-and-jacoby-jones) • [12](https://www.nfl.com/news/ravens-dedicate-training-camp-practice-to-late-wr-jacoby-jones). Head coach John Harbaugh recalled a kickoff return touchdown against the Vikings in a snowstorm, saying Jones had been talking to his mother in the end zone just before racing to catch the ball and run it back[13](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/baltimore-ravens-statement-on-jacoby-jones).
## References
1. [Jacoby Jones Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JoneJa03.htm)
2. [Jacoby Jones, former Ravens WR and Super Bowl XLVII star, dies at 40, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/jacoby-jones-former-ravens-wr-and-super-bowl-xlvii-star-dies-at-40)
3. [Jacoby Jones Career Stats, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/players/jacoby-jones/stats/career)
4. [2013 Ravens Media Guide, page 149, FlipHTML5](https://fliphtml5.com/mseao/teac/2013_Ravens_Media_Guide/149/)
5. [Ravens Super Bowl XLVII, BaltimoreRavens.com](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/history/super-bowl-xlvii)
6. [Former Ravens WR Jacoby Jones died of heart disease, coroner says, CBS Baltimore](https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/coroner-rules-former-ravens-wr-jacoby-jones-died-of-heart-disease/)
7. [Special Teams Player Notes, New England Patriots media guide](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/v1578685779/patriots/beahcaj8k6cjn6iasia5.pdf)
8. [Jones record-tying KOR noted in HOF, Pro Football Hall of Fame](https://www.profootballhof.com/news/jones-record-tying-kor-noted-in-hof)
9. [Baltimore Ravens media guide, NFL.com](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1598641387/league/hhw2gjmmjklm8ghcdgtg.pdf)
10. [Top 20 Kick Return Average, Pro Football Hall of Fame](https://www.profootballhof.com/news/top-20-kick-return-average)
11. [Ravens to Wear Helmet Decals Honoring Joe D'Alessandris and Jacoby Jones, BaltimoreRavens.com](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/ravens-to-wear-helmet-decals-honoring-joe-d-alessandris-and-jacoby-jones)
12. [Ravens dedicate training camp practice to late WR Jacoby Jones, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/ravens-dedicate-training-camp-practice-to-late-wr-jacoby-jones)
13. [Baltimore Ravens Statement on Jacoby Jones, BaltimoreRavens.com](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/baltimore-ravens-statement-on-jacoby-jones)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Return specialists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license