Joe D’Alessandris, whose nearly half-century of coaching offensive linemen eventually brought him to four different NFL teams, has died. He was 70.
The Baltimore Ravens, D’Alessandris’ employer since 2017, announced that he died Sunday.
He was hospitalized earlier this month with an unspecified illness, and that caused him to step away from his duties as the team’s offensive line coach.
Coach John Harbaugh said at the time that D’Alessandris had had surgery earlier this summer and experienced complications.
“Our hearts ache with grief and sadness upon learning of coach Joe D’Alessandris’ passing early this morning,” the team said in a statement.
“‘Joe D.’ lived a life of boundless faith, love, devotion and inspiration.
As a husband, father, grandfather, friend and coach, Joe made every individual he encountered truly feel like they were the most important person in the world.”
The preseason is officially in the rear-view mirror for the Baltimore Ravens, and based on how they closed it out, they’re probably glad to be moving on.
Baltimore simply ended the preseason with a thud, falling to the Green Bay Packers 30-7 at Lambeau Field.
The 23-point loss is the largest margin of defeat in the John Harbaugh era, a far cry from the Ravens’ preseason dominance over much of the past decade.
