Officials have revealed the cause of death for Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jaylon Ferguson who died June 21 from “the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine.”
According to TMZ Sports, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, Maryland, maintained that no foul play was involved in Ferguson’s death, ruling it an accident.
Fentanyl is a prescription drug used for treating severe pain. If mixed with cocaine, death can result, but it all depends on the dosage.
“Overdosing leads to slowed or stopped breathing, which subsequently can cause brain damage,” Samantha Lookatch, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist at Columbia University Medical Center, told WebMD. “If left untreated, overdose from cocaine with fentanyl can result in death.”
Many people who knew Ferguson took to social media to express their sadness. His fellow teammate, Ravens safety Tony Jefferson, spoke about Ferguson in a statement to ESPN.
“J Ferg’ had the most genuine energy I’ve ever been around,” Jefferson said. “Before I left after minicamp in the locker room, he expressed how he was ready to have a big year, and I believed it was going to be his best season as a Raven. He will be watching over us, I know it, and he will bring the team closer just from his mark he left. He will definitely be missed.”
His fiancée, whom he met at Louisiana Tech and shares three children, honored the fallen football player on her Instagram story.
“I got our babies,” her Instagram story read. “I’ll forever have you with me through them!!!”
She added, “I won’t ever be able to love them the way. Daddy did. I need you.”
His alma mater, LA Tech, took to Twitter to respond to his death.
“The LA Tech Family mourns this morning’s tragic news of the sudden death of former Bulldog great. Jaylon Ferguson,” LA Tech tweeted. “We will remember his God-given talents on the field and his infectious personality off of it. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”
The LA Tech Family mourns this morning’s tragic news of the sudden death of former Bulldog great, Jaylon Ferguson.
We will remember his God-given talents on the field and his infectious personality off of it.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
RIP, 45. pic.twitter.com/tRuLp1BEcD
— LA Tech Football ? (@LATechFB) June 22, 2022
Ferguson was the 85th player selected during the 2019 NFL draft. Referred to as “Sack Daddy,” the linebacker’s 45 career sacks hold the FBS record. He has a career record of 67 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
NewsOnyx previously reported that Baltimore police discovered Ferguson unresponsive in his home that Tuesday at 11:25 p.m. along with medics treating him. They eventually pronounced the 26-year-old dead at the scene because he never regained consciousness.
