Jordan Devey lived the kind of life most kids only dream about on backlot football fields. Born in American Fork, Utah, he went from playing tuba in his high school band to standing on the confetti-covered turf of Super Bowl XLIX as an NFL champion. He was 38 years old, a proud father of four, a former New England Patriot, and a guy who spent his weekends coaching local kids in Idaho. But on Friday, July 23, 2026—the exact day he and his wife Linsey were supposed to celebrate fifteen years of marriage—Jordan tragically took his own life.
The news came as a total shock to the football world and the local community he loved so deeply. For seven years, Jordan ground out a career as an offensive lineman in the NFL, wearing jerseys for five different franchises. He played for the Patriots, 49ers, Chiefs, Raiders, and Bills before hanging up his cleats after the 2020 season. Over 44 career games, he earned a reputation as a hard-working teammate who never took his blessings for granted.
But if you asked anyone in his hometown, his biggest accomplishments did not happen under Sunday night stadium lights. Off the field, Jordan was a dedicated family man who poured everything he had into his wife and four young children. He was the dad who never missed a youth game and always volunteered to coach his kids’ teams, bringing the same energy to little league fields that he once brought to NFL sidelines.
In the town of Eagle, high school athletes knew him not as a big-time Super Bowl winner, but as a big brother and mentor. Jordan spent countless hours volunteering with the Eagle High School football team, working closely with players who looked up to him. To those kids, he was a gentle giant who took time to listen, teach, and cheer them on through every single drill.
The news of his passing broke through an emotional social media post written by his wife, Linsey. On what should have been a night of celebration, she shared the heavy heartbreak of losing her best friend and partner. She wrote about the fifteen years they spent building a life together, filling their home with memories, and raising four children who share Jordan’s eyes and kind heart. She ended her tribute with the last words Jordan ever spoke to her: “We’ll talk soon.”
Since his passing, a fundraiser set up for the family confirmed that Jordan died by suicide, sparking an immediate wave of support from former teammates, local neighbors, and football fans across the country. The drive was created to help Linsey and the kids navigate sudden medical bills and everyday living costs during this painful time. In just a few hours, comments filled up with stories from people whose lives were touched by Jordan’s quiet generosity.
Behind the tragedy lies a heartbreaking question that his family is now trying to answer. Jordan’s parents spoke publicly to raise mental health awareness, sharing their belief that years of football collisions may have left him suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE. While CTE can only be diagnosed after death, his family wants people to understand the hidden battles athletes often fight in silence. Jordan spent his life lifting everyone around him, and now the community he served is coming together to honor his legacy and carry his family forward.
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