Longtime NFL offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris has died at the age of 70, the Baltimore Ravens announced Sunday. D’Alessandris had recently taken leave from the Ravens and was hospitalized for an “acute illness.”
D’Alessandris, an assistant coach for parts of five decades, had guided Baltimore’s offensive line since 2017. Known to his players and colleagues as “Joe D,” D’Alessandris also had NFL coaching stints with the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Joe’s family — particularly his three incredible daughters — during this somber time,” the Ravens said in a statement. “Now reunited with his late and precious wife, Toni, we know they are smiling down from above and blessing everyone they love dearly.”
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 25, 2024
“Coach ‘Joe D’ was a man of integrity and a man of faith,” coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “He made us all better. … He was a great coach and a good man — the kind of person you are honored to have as a friend.”
D’Alessandris also coached at the college level with Western Carolina, Livingston, Memphis, Chattanooga, Samford, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Duke and Georgia Tech. He earned a reputation for his ability to develop young offensive linemen. He was a hard-nosed coach who believed in constantly drilling the fundamentals.
D’Alessandris was not afraid to challenge and critique his offensive linemen, but he was a beloved figure at the Ravens’ facility because of the work he put in and how much he cared about his players. He often referred to his offensive linemen as “my boys.”
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D’Alessandris’ wife, Toni, died from a rare form of Parkinson’s disease in May 2022. On the one-year anniversary of his wife’s passing, D’Alessandris’ daughter, Kelly Olsen, gave birth to a baby girl. D’Alessandris had three adult-aged daughters and five grandchildren.
Baltimore hired veteran offensive line coach George Warhop on Aug. 14 following D’Alessandris’ leave.
(Photo: Robin Alam / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
