O.J. Brigance, the former NFL linebacker who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens and became one of professional football’s most inspiring figures during a 19-year fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has died at 56. Brigance, of Houston, Texas, passed away on Monday from complications related to the disease.
Brigance leaves behind a football legacy unlike any other, one that spanned two countries, two championship trophies, and nearly two decades of quiet courage after his playing days ended.
A Career Across Four Teams
Over seven seasons in the NFL, Brigance suited up for four franchises. He spent four years with the Miami Dolphins from 1996 to 1999, joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, played two seasons with the St. Louis Rams from 2001 to 2002, and closed out his career with the New England Patriots in 2002.
Across 98 career games, Brigance recorded 42 combined tackles, split between 33 solo stops and nine assists. He forced three fumbles and recovered two more, and both of those recoveries came in wins for his team. The first arrived in a 33-30 Dolphins victory over the Detroit Lions on December 7, 1997. The second came in a lopsided 37-0 Ravens win over the Cincinnati Bengals on September 24, 2000.
But numbers only tell part of Brigance’s story. His most remarkable achievement is one no other player in the sport can claim.
The Grey Cup and Super Bowl Milestone
Brigance holds the unique distinction of being the first and only football player to win both the Grey Cup and the Super Bowl in the same city. He was a member of the Baltimore Stallions team that captured the 1995 Grey Cup at Taylor Field in Regina, Saskatchewan, defeating the Calgary Stampeders 37-20 during an era when the Canadian Football League expanded into the United States.
Then, years later in the same city, Brigance added a Super Bowl ring to his collection. It was a full-circle triumph that cemented his place in football history and made Baltimore the backdrop for two of the game’s biggest prizes.
Champions in Tampa
The Ravens’ 2000 season became known as their “Super Journey,” and the path to the championship tested the team’s resilience. Baltimore struggled through a difficult schedule and went five consecutive games without an offensive touchdown, but the squad remained unified through adversity.
On Jan. 28, 2001, the Ravens dominated the New York Giants 34-7 in Tampa. Ray Lewis, leading a historically dominant defense, won both the Super Bowl XXXV MVP award and Defensive Player of the Year. Baltimore’s defense matched a Super Bowl record by intercepting four passes, while the offense avoided turnovers entirely, making the Ravens only the third team in NFL history to achieve that feat in a championship game.
One remarkable sequence saw both teams score touchdowns on kickoff returns within 36 seconds, producing 21 combined points in a span later ranked as the 10th greatest Super Bowl moment.
Brigance shared that championship stage with a roster loaded with talent, from rising young stars like Jamal Lewis, Chris McAlister and Duane Starks to seasoned veterans including Rod Woodson, Rob Burnett, Shannon Sharpe, Matt Stover, Michael McCrary and Jonathan Ogden. Quarterback Trent Dilfer, who had returned to Tampa Bay for the title game, guided the offense. Following the win, owner Art Modell lifted the Lombardi Trophy and dedicated the victory to the fans.
Modell told fans throughout the Baltimore region that the championship belonged to them, adding, “From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
The victory sparked widespread celebrations across the region. Despite an icy downpour, hundreds of thousands of fans lined Baltimore’s streets for the championship parade. The team visited the White House that June to meet with President George W. Bush, and Ravens public relations staff Francine Lubera and Kevin Byrne documented the championship run in “Super Journey: Diary of the Ravens World Championship Season,” published in July of 2001.
Long after the confetti settled, Brigance faced his toughest opponent with the same resolve he brought to the field. His 19-year battle with ALS turned him into a symbol of perseverance and grace, and his impact reached far beyond the game he loved. He is remembered not only as a champion in two leagues and two countries, but as a man whose spirit never wavered.
Sources:
https://thesportingbase.com/former-nfl-linebacker-o-j-brigance-dies-of-als-at-age-56/
https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/history/super-bowl-xxxv