Legacy of Inspiration
O.J. Brigance, Ravens Super Bowl Champion and Inspiring ALS Advocate, Dies at 56
Key Points
Brigance had a CFL stint with the Baltimore Stallions and helped them win the 1995 Grey Cup championship.
The Ravens' player development program he led earned NFL honors, including Best Overall Player Development Program (2005-06), Most Outstanding Internship Program (2005) and Outstanding Continuing Education Program Award (2007).
In a Baltimore Sun feature, O.J. Brigance and his wife Chanda were named Black Marylanders to Watch, recognizing their service to the community.
Despite his ALS diagnosis, Brigance used a motorized wheelchair and an eye-gaze device to communicate and remained a fixture at Ravens practices and games, mentoring players and coaches.
O.J. Brigance, a Super Bowl champion and beloved figure in the Baltimore Ravens organization, died at 56 after a 19-year battle with ALS, the team announced. NBC Sports reported that Brigance was remembered as one of the franchise's first true heroes, known for his fierce play and his extraordinary courage in the face of a devastating illness.
Brigance joined the Ravens in 2000 as a free-agent linebacker. He recorded the first tackle of Super Bowl XXXV, helping Baltimore claim the championship. After his playing career ended, he stayed with the organization in a front-office role — and never really left, even after his diagnosis changed everything.
From the CFL to a Super Bowl Tackle That Defined Him
Before his time in Baltimore, Brigance built his name in the Canadian Football League. He won the 1995 Grey Cup with the Baltimore Stallions, the CFL's last American-based champion. That title gave him a taste of championship football — and a connection to Baltimore that would shape the rest of his life.
He later joined the Ravens for the 2000 season. His most iconic moment came in Super Bowl XXXV, when he made the game's very first tackle. WBAL-TV noted that Ravens fans and staff alike mourned the loss of a man they called a Super Bowl hero long before he became a front-office leader.
A Player Who Became a Mentor and Program Builder
After his seven-year NFL career, Brigance moved into player development with the Ravens. He built one of the league's most respected programs. The team earned the NFL's Best Overall Player Development Program award for 2005–06. It also won the Most Outstanding Internship Program honor in 2005 and the Outstanding Continuing Education Program Award in 2007.
Baltimore Positive described Brigance as someone who mentored players both on and off the field. He helped them plan for life after football. Coaches and staff said his warmth and positivity set the tone inside the building for more than two decades.
ALS Diagnosis Led to a New Mission Off the Field
In 2007, doctors diagnosed Brigance with ALS — a disease that slowly takes away a person's ability to move and speak. Rather than step back, he stepped up. He and his wife Chanda founded the Brigance Brigade Foundation to raise money and awareness for people living with ALS. The Baltimore Sun named the couple Black Marylanders to Watch for their service to the community.
Despite losing the ability to speak, Brigance kept showing up. He used a motorized wheelchair and an eye-gaze device — a tool that tracks eye movement to form words — to communicate. NBC Sports reported that he remained a regular presence at Ravens practices and games, continuing to mentor players and staff until the end.
Ravens and NFL Community Pay Tribute to His Legacy
The Ravens released a statement calling Brigance one of the organization's most important figures. WBAL-TV reported that players, coaches, and front-office staff all praised his impact. Many said he inspired them not just as a football man, but as a human being who refused to give up.
His legacy reaches far beyond the game. The Brigance Brigade Foundation has touched thousands of lives across the ALS community. Pats Pulpit noted that his 19-year fight with the disease — longer than many ALS patients survive — stood as a testament to his extraordinary will. He was 56 years old.
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