Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker and Super Bowl champion O.J. Brigance, whose unwavering Christian faith became central to his nearly two-decade battle with ALS, has died at 56.

The Ravens announced Brigance’s death, remembering him not only for his accomplishments on the football field but also for the faith, courage and determination he displayed after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Brigance first made his mark in Baltimore with the CFL’s Stallions, helping the team win the 1995 Grey Cup. He later joined the Ravens and became a linebacker and special teams standout, recording the first tackle of Super Bowl XXXV as Baltimore captured its first Super Bowl championship.

After his seven-year NFL career ended following the 2002 season, Brigance returned to the Ravens in a player engagement role. Even as ALS progressively limited his physical abilities, he continued working with the organization and encouraging players and coaches.

Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens’ executive vice president, called Brigance “a hero to this city” who became an even greater inspiration through the “fight, faith and grace” with which he faced ALS.

Former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh remembered Brigance as “a man of great faith” who faced an extraordinarily difficult calling “through the great glory of God.” Harbaugh added that he looks forward to “seeing him again in heaven someday.”

Brigance often credited his relationship with Jesus Christ for sustaining him after his diagnosis.

“I have been able to remain positive throughout the diagnosis because of my faith in Jesus Christ,” Brigance said in an interview. “God’s grace is sufficient, no matter my physical weaknesses.”

His diagnosis also deepened his conviction about the value and purpose of every life. In 2015, Brigance testified against a Maryland physician-assisted suicide bill, telling lawmakers, “Every day, every hour, every minute, every second is God-given and valuable.”

Brigance turned his own struggle into a mission to serve others, establishing the Brigance Brigade Foundation to support people living with ALS and their families. He also shared his story in the 2014 book Strength of a Champion: Finding Faith and Fortitude Through Adversity.

Reflecting on his journey, Brigance once acknowledged that ALS had become the ultimate test of the faith he professed.

“You don’t know that your faith is real until a man sits across from you and tells you that you will eventually die,” he said. “And so now, it becomes more of a test of will, a test of my faith.”