Jordan Devey, Former NFL Guard and Super Bowl Champion, Dies at 38
4 min readJordan Devey’s death has been felt across the football world this week.
Jordan Devey, a former NFL offensive lineman who won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, has died at the age of 38. His family confirmed that Jordan Devey died by suicide, sharing the news through a fundraising page set up to support his wife and children in the aftermath of his death. Tributes for Jordan Devey have since poured in from across the football community.
How the Family Announced the News
The news came through a GoFundMe campaign organized to help the family cover expenses following his unexpected passing. The post described the loss as devastating, noting that his death has left loved ones facing an extraordinarily difficult and heartbreaking period. Jordan Devey’s wife, Linsey, also shared a personal tribute on social media, revealing that his death came just days before what would have been the couple’s fifteenth wedding anniversary. She spoke warmly of their four children, noting they carry physical and personal traits reminiscent of their father, and expressed how deeply the family will miss him.
His mother, Leslie, spoke with a local television station in Salt Lake City about her son’s death, sharing that the family suspects he may have been dealing with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated head trauma that has affected numerous former football players. Background on the condition and current diagnostic limitations is available through Boston University’s CTE Center, a leading research institution on the topic. However, because of the circumstances surrounding his death, the family will not be able to pursue testing to confirm whether Jordan Devey actually had the condition, since a formal CTE diagnosis can currently only be made posthumously through specific examination methods.
Jordan Devey’s NFL Career and Football Journey
Before his NFL career, Jordan Devey played college football at Snow College and later at the University of Memphis. He entered professional football in 2013, signing with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. After spending time on Baltimore’s roster, Jordan Devey joined the New England Patriots’ practice squad, eventually working his way onto the active roster.
The defining moment of Jordan Devey’s career came during the 2014 season, when he appeared in seven regular-season games for the Patriots as the team went on to capture the Super Bowl title. That championship run remains one of the signature achievements associated with Jordan Devey’s time in professional football.
Following his stint in New England, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, where he saw the most extensive action of his career, starting nine of the fifteen games he appeared in during the 2015 season. From there, he continued his NFL journey with stops at the Kansas City Chiefs for three seasons, followed by brief appearances with the Las Vegas Raiders and finally the Buffalo Bills, where he played his last professional game in 2020 before retiring the following year.
Across his seven NFL seasons, Jordan Devey compiled 44 career regular-season appearances with 21 starts, spending time with five different franchises. Reports following his death also noted that he held a unique distinction of having blocked for three different star quarterbacks over the course of his career, spanning different eras and teams within the league.
Life After Football
After retiring from professional football, Jordan Devey transitioned into coaching, taking on a role at a high school in Idaho. Those who knew him during this chapter of his life described Jordan Devey as a devoted mentor to the young athletes he coached, someone who built strong relationships with players well beyond the football field. Tributes shared after his passing highlighted his commitment to volunteering with youth sports and the impact Jordan Devey had on students who saw him as more than just a coach.
The Broader Conversation Around CTE and Player Health
The suspicion raised by the family of Jordan Devey regarding CTE adds his story to an ongoing and difficult conversation within football about the long-term effects of repeated head impacts sustained during a playing career. Many former players and their families have raised similar concerns in recent years, pushing for greater awareness, improved safety protocols, and expanded support systems for athletes both during and after their competitive careers. Jordan Devey’s family, like others before them, has chosen to speak publicly about these concerns in the hope that his story might contribute to a wider understanding of the pressures and health risks football players can face long after they leave the field.
Remembering Jordan Devey
He is survived by his wife, Linsey, their four children, and his parents. In the days since his passing, coaches, former teammates, and members of the communities Jordan Devey was part of have reflected on the impact he had both on and off the field. Friends, former teammates, and members of the football community have shared condolences since news of his passing became public, remembering Jordan Devey not only for his NFL accomplishments but also for the character and generosity he showed to those around him, both during his playing days and in the years that followed.
This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 in the United States.
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