Lorenzo Taliaferro, former fullback for the Baltimore Ravens, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 16 from a heart attack, according to a family member. He was 28 years old.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lorenzo Taliaferro,” head coach John Harbaugh stated. “Lorenzo was a kind, smart, respectful and determined young man — someone always committed to his teammates and well-liked by everyone in our organization. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Lorenzo’s family. May he rest in peace.”
The York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office in Yorktown, Virginia verified the news on Twitter, posting that, “Earlier today, December 16, 2020, at approximately 3:07 pm deputies were dispatched to the 100 Block of Windsor Lane for a call of someone needing medical attention. Medics also arrived and transported the patient to a local hospital where he later passed away.”
The post continued, “We cannot release any medical information. Our sincere condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.”
Ravens Special Teams coordinator Chris Horton said in an interview Thursday on the Ravens’ Twitter account that he wanted to “send [his] deepest condolences to [Lorenzo’s] family. This is obviously tragic news. It’s sad. [He had] so much life ahead of him,” Horton said. “He was loved by his teammates because of how he went out and worked — how he handled his business. He was great.”
Horton added, “He was kind. He always had a smile on his face. When he came to work, he was gonna work. It’s just unfortunate when you come in and with everything that’s going on the world, you hear that a teammate, guy you coached, has passed away.”
In 2013, Taliaferro was honored as the Big South Conference Offensive Player of the Year after he rushed for 1,729 yards with 27 touchdowns during his senior season at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina.
After an impressive college career, Taliaferro was the 138th overall pick of the 2014 NFL draft. He was a fourth-round pick of the Ravens, where he spent three seasons and played in 19 games. The Yorktown, Virginia, native scored a total of five touchdowns and rushed 339 yards in his time there.
Taliaferro would have turned 29 on Dec. 23.
