For the second time this offseason the Baltimore Ravens are mourning the loss of one of their beloved family members. The Ravens delivered the sad news 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 years of age.
“Today is a sad day for the Baltimore Ravens,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “‘Joe D’ was a rock, a great coach and a better person. He cared about the team deeply, exhibiting a relentless passion to excel while displaying genuine love for his players. I especially treasure my conversations with him, talking about football and life.”
D’Alessandris had spent the last eight seasons with the Ravens as offensive line coach, playing a huge part in the development of five different players, Marshal Yanda, Ronnie Stanley, Orlando Brown Jr., Tyler Linderbaum and Kevin Zeitler, and 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. Before his NFL career took off, he had coaching stops with Western Carolina, Livingston, Memphis, Chattanooga, Samford, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Duke and Georgia Tech at the collegiate level.
The NFL fraternity came together as they often do in times of crisis and paid tribute to D’Alessandris on Sunday.
On August 14, the Ravens announced that George Warhop would lead the offensive line while D’Alessandris was recovering from his acute illness.
Embed from Getty Images“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.”
D’Alessandris’ wife, Toni, died in 2022. They had been married 42 years. He is survived by three daughters, Anna, Kelly and Emily.
“I will always remember standing back with Joe on the practice field and watching him up close with his players,” DeCosta said. “Coach was the consummate teacher and friend, and I will miss him deeply. Our thoughts and prayers go to Joe’s daughters and family and everyone touched by Joe’s remarkable spirit.”
