Ravens Keeping Super Bowl Hero's Memory Alive

Former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver and kick/punt returner Jacoby Jones put on a youth football camp in New Orleans from 2009-15 as a way to give back to the community where he grew up. However, Jones tragically passed away a year ago, just three days after his 40th birthday.

Now, one of Jones' former teammates is doing his best to keep his memory alive. Former Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith is restarting the camp after a 10-year absence.

"Say no more," Smith said, repeating a phrase often used by his late friend and former teammate.

Jones collected a few accolades throughout his nine-year NFL career, including first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2012, but nothing is more memorable than his performance in Super Bowl XLVII.

Jones returned the second-half kickoff for a 108-yard touchdown — the longest kickoff return in Super Bowl history. The score put the Ravens up 28-6 over the San Francisco 49ers, a deficit they were never able to come back from.

"I don't think anybody in Baltimore will ever forget how his play made them feel," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "Watching him play that kickoff return in the Super Bowl or the long receiving touchdown where he juked out like two dudes at the 5-yard line and skates himself into the end zone. And that's just [in] a Super Bowl."

However, Jones' impact off the field may have had an even longer lasting effect.

Greg Fassitt, a high school friend of Jones, reflected on how many lives the youth football camp has touched.

"There's so many kids that, like he and I, that grew up here," Fassitt said. "We didn't grow up having these [opportunities] where somebody could come and tell you, yeah, it's possible, and following the lead."

Thanks to Smith, the "Jacoby Jones football camp" is alive and well, and so is Jones' memory as a great football player and even better person.

"It definitely goes to show the power of a game and a person's heart and energy and love that he gave," Smith said. "Having an impact on so many different people."