O. J. Brigance

O. J. Brigance

Position(s) Linebacker Jersey #(s) 57
Born	September 29, 1969 (1969-09-29) Houston, Texas
Career information
Year(s)	1991–2002
College	Rice
Professional teams
B.C. Lions (1991-1993) Baltimore Stallions (1994-1995) Miami Dolphins (1996-1999) Baltimore Ravens (2000) St. Louis Rams (2001-2002) New England Patriots (2002)
Career stats
Games Played	98
Tackles	21
Interceptions	0
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star (1995) 1x Grey Cup Champion (1995) Super Bowl Champion (XXXV)

O. J. Brigance (born September 29, 1969 in Houston, Texas) is a former football player in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.

Football career

Brigance played college football at Rice University and was a three-year starter. He graduated from Rice with a degree in managerial studies in 1992.

Beginning his pro career in the CFL with the B.C. Lions in 1991, Brigance played 3 seasons and 54 games. His best season came in 1993, when he recorded 20 sacks and was an All-Conference selection. Brigance would then play for the Baltimore Stallions for two seasons, becoming an All-Star in 1995, recording 7 sacks and helping his team win the Grey Cup.

In 1996, Brigance was signed by the Miami Dolphins as a free agent. He was twice voted a team captain during his 4 seasons there and his teammates named him Ed Block Courage Award recipient in 1999. In addition, he was honored with the NFL Player Association's "Unsung Hero Award" that same season.

The next year, he was signed by the Baltimore Ravens. Brigance was a key contributor to the Ravens' championship-winning team as he finished second on the team with 25 special teams tackles and led the team with 10 special teams tackles in the post-season (including the first tackle of Super Bowl XXXV). He played for St. Louis Rams in 2001 and 2002, and a final game with the New England Patriots before retiring.

He is one of a few players to have won both a CFL and NFL championship, and is the only one to accomplish the feat with teams from the same city.

During his time as a Dolphin, Brigance was involved in a number of different community organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Daily Food Bank.

He is currently the Director of Player Development for the Ravens and serves as a motivator and inspiration for the team.

ALS activism

Brigance has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a motor neurone disease that is eventually fatal. He has created a foundation to assist ALS research called the "Brigance Brigade".