Ravens OL Coach Joe D'Alessandris Dies at 70; Spent 45 Years in NFL, NCAA, More
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRT
Featured Columnist IVAugust 25, 2024
The Baltimore Ravens announced that offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris died on Sunday morning after being hospitalized due to complications from surgery earlier this summer.
He was 70.
D'Alessandris had spent eight seasons with the Ravens as offensive line coach, helping five different players—Marshal Yanda, Ronnie Stanley, Orlando Brown Jr., Tyler Linderbaum and Kevin Zeitler—reach the Pro Bowl.
D'Alessandris also served as the offensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills (2010-12) and San Diego Chargers (2013-15) in his coaching career. Prior to his NFL career, he had coaching stints with Western Carolina, Livingston, Memphis, Chattanooga, Samford, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Duke and Georgia Tech at the college level.
A number of people from the NFL community paid tribute to D'Alessandris on Sunday:
Jeff Zrebiec @jeffzrebiecNot sure I met a nicer man in the dozen years I've been on the Ravens beat than Joe D'Alessandris. He was a hard-nosed and unrelenting coach, but man did he love his players and work tirelessly to help them be successful. His family was amazing, too. RIP <a href="https://t.co/JADC3VR5jZ">https://t.co/JADC3VR5jZ</a>
Jonas Shaffer @jonas_shafferSome Joe D'Alessandris tributes on social media from Ravens players:<br><br>"A great man who made a football team better and made people better."<br><br>"What a guy."<br><br>"Lost an amazing coach and an even better human today."<br><br>"Forever grateful for you coach." <a href="https://t.co/4Y8LFNKDvX">pic.twitter.com/4Y8LFNKDvX</a>
Gerry Sandusky @GerrySanduskyHeartbroken to hear of the passing of Ravens offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris. Joe D was a wonderful man and a great coach. He was a friend whose conversations and wisdom I treasured and will miss. Enjoy the reunion with your wonderful wife my friend. Godspeed Joe D. <a href="https://t.co/wBkmNPgL70">pic.twitter.com/wBkmNPgL70</a>
Ryan Mink @ryanminkJames Hurst, who joined the Ravens as an undrafted offensive tackle in 2014 and went on to have a 10-year NFL career, was one of Joe D'Alessandris' many success stories. Here's what James had to say about Joe D's passing: <a href="https://t.co/PYvHqjz1NQ">pic.twitter.com/PYvHqjz1NQ</a>
Bo Smolka @bsmolkaYou won't find many more compassionate, kind gentlemen than Joe D'Alessandris. At times we would cross paths in the facility or even in the parking lot, and he would strike up a conversation as if it were the highlight of his day. Heavy hearts in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ravens?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ravens</a> building today for sure.
Earlier in August, the Ravens announced that George Warhop would lead the offensive line while D'Alessandris was recovering from his acute illness.
"It's a big blow because he's a great football coach, he's beloved by the players [and] he's a top game-planner," head coach John Harbaugh told reporters at the time regarding D'Alessandris' illness and hospitalization. "He's a huge part of our offense. He's going to be missed very much. But we're going to be much more concerned about his health."
On Sunday, Harbaugh called D'Alessandris a "man of integrity and a man of faith."
"He made us all better," he added in his statement. "He was our reader at team mass, and he was loved by all here. He was a great coach and a good man—the kind of person who you are honored to have as a friend. He raised three incredible, beautiful daughters, and he was a most loving husband. His grandkids also adored him. I admired him, loved him and am going to miss him, because 'Joe D.' was a joy. [His late wife] Toni has him back now. May God bless 'Joe D.' forever."