BALTIMORE — Former Ravens defensive tackle Arthur Jones has died, the team announced Friday afternoon.
Jones, 39, played for Baltimore from 2010 to 2013 and was a key part of their Super Bowl 47 championship team. He had a third-quarter sack on San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick just before the lights went out at the Superdome in New Orleans and recovered a fumble in the second quarter of the 34-31 victory.
He was also popular in the locker room, active in the Baltimore community and known for always smiling. Jones won the team’s “Good Guy” award in 2012, voted on annually by reporters, for his cooperation with the media.
“We are terribly saddened to learn of Arthur Jones’ sudden passing,” general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “Arthur’s presence was a gift to everyone he encountered. His big, bright smile, infectious energy and eternal positivity created a presence that continuously uplifted others. He was kind, courteous and enthusiastic — always displaying a love for family, teammates and friends.”
The cause of death was not immediately clear.
“Gonna miss you my guy,” former Ravens defensive lineman Haloti Ngata posted on X.
Baltimore drafted Jones in the fifth round out of Syracuse in 2010. In his second season, he appeared in 14 games (one start) and made 20 tackles. The following year, he played in all 16 games, starting six, and notched 4 1/2 sacks to go with 47 tackles and a forced fumble.
In 2013, he had four sacks along with 53 tackles in 14 games (13 starts) and that offseason signed a five-year, $33 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts. But injuries and other issues quickly derailed his career in Indianapolis.
Jones missed all of 2015 with an ankle injury. He was then suspended for the first four games of 2016 after violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
Upon his return, Jones started eight straight games before being placed on injured reserve again, this time with a groin injury.
The Colts released him in March 2017 and he signed with Washington in November of that year but was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury 10 days later. Jones announced his retirement at the end of that season.
“It’s time for me to continue my legacy off the field,” he wrote at the time on Instagram. “Athletes always know this day will come and I’m blessed to share this news with a smile on my face.”
A native of Rochester, N.Y., Jones finished his career with 10 sacks, 173 tackles and two forced fumbles in 64 games (31 starts) across seven seasons.
Jones is the older brother of former UFC star Jon Jones and former NFL defensive end Chandler Jones, who played for the New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders. Their older sister, Carmen, was diagnosed with brain cancer and died at age 17 in 2000 when Arthur was in eighth grade.
His son Arthur Jones IV, a defensive lineman in the 2028 recruiting class from Christian Brothers Academy in New York, recently received his first scholarship offer from Syracuse.
Arthur Jones is the second member of the Ravens’ championship team from the 2012 season to die in recent years. Jacoby Jones (no relation), a wide receiver and All-Pro kick returner who starred in the win over San Francisco, died in July 2024 at age 40 from heart disease.
