Jaylon Ferguson death: Possible cause of death mentioned in official statement

The NFL world is still in shock after the tragic loss of another young talent. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jaylon Ferguson passed away at the age of 26. He was found unresponsive at his home in Baltimore, and despite the best efforts of emergency medics, he never regained consciousness.

The Ravens linebacker is survived by his three children, two daughters, and a son, who are all under five, as well as his fiance Doni Smith. When the news initially broke, the details surrounding his death were scant.

However, Baltimore Police have now released the following statement, where they claim that they have not ruled out the possibility of an overdose:

"At approximately 11:25 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a home in the northern district of the city, where they found Ferguson unresponsive and being treated by medics. He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead on the scene by medics."

A spokesperson for the Baltimore Police Department continued:

"There were no signs of trauma found and no foul play was suspected at this time. Ferguson’s body was transported to the medical examiner’s office, where a cause of death will be determined. Investigators are not ruling out the possibility of an overdose."

In reply to the rumours circulating with regards to her fiance's death, Doni Smith tweeted the following:

"Despite the speculation in earlier reports, at this point in time the cause of Jaylon’s death has yet to be determined. This is one of the darkest moments in our lives and we are still utterly shocked. We ask that you please respect our privacy as we navigate through this difficult time."

Career of Jaylon Ferguson

While it's too early to speculate on the potential circumstances surrounding his death, we can look back at Jaylon Ferguson's career.

He played college football at Louisiana Tech and soon developed a fearsome reputation. His 45 career sacks were an NCAA record. His efforts earned him the nickname Sack Daddy, and punched his ticket to the NFL as a third-round selection for the Baltimore Ravens.

In his three NFL seasons, he played in 38 games with the Ravens. He made 10 starts, and recorded 67 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 17 quarterback hits. He was said to have turned up at training camp in the best shape of his life, and hopes were high for a potential breakout year.

Now those possibilities will never be realised, as authorities attempt to piece together the circumstances surrounding his death.

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