Jordan Devey, the former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman who later became a well-known youth football coach, has died, according to a post from his wife.
Linsey Devey said on Instagram Thursday night that the couple’s 15th anniversary would have been Friday. She wrote, “Today would have been our 15th year anniversary,” and added, “We have filled the walls of our homes and hearts with countless memories, joys, struggles, and triumphs.
“We brought 4 beautiful children into this world that have your eyes, freckles, and compassion. You were our hero and our hearts ache in your absence.
“We love you. We miss you. And as you said in your last words to me, ‘we’ll talk soon.’”
He was 38.
A GoFundMe page linked by Linsey Devey said he took his own life.
Devey’s last words to his wife were, “We’ll talk soon.”
Before his death, Devey had built a football life that stretched far beyond Kansas City. He played for the Chiefs for three seasons starting in 2016, and after football he and his family spent time in Johnson County.
There, he and his business partners opened two now-closed locations of California-based Cookie Co. in 2023. At the time, he told The Star, “Kansas City loves Kansas City,” and added, “There’s so many big things going on here.”
His path to the NFL was anything but ordinary. As a child, he dealt with Osgood-Schlatter disease, the painful knee condition that forced him away from football for several years when he was in eighth grade.
While sidelined, he picked up the tuba and joined the American Fork High School marching band in Utah, eventually performing at President George W. Bush’s Inaugural Parade in 2005.
That musical background followed him through the league and made him stand out wherever he played.
After high school, Devey spent two years in Costa Rica serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Once his knee problems eased, the 6-foot-7, 250-pound lineman walked on at Snow College in Utah, then finished his college career at the University of Memphis before entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2013.
He played for six NFL teams: the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Raiders and Chiefs. He was on the Patriots when they won the Super Bowl in 2015.
In Eagle, Idaho, Devey became a popular youth football coach, and the reaction to his death quickly spread across social media. The Eagle Stallions football team called him someone who left “a legacy far greater than wins and losses.” The team wrote, “Jordan’s impact on youth sports in Eagle wasn’t measured by trophies or championships-it was measured by the lives he touched.
“He believed in kids, invested his time, shared his knowledge, and helped build confidence, character, and a love for the game in countless young athletes. He made every player feel seen, every family feel welcome, and every team stronger because of his presence.
“The fields won’t feel the same without him, but his influence will never leave them. Every practice, every game, every lesson about teamwork, perseverance, and doing things the right way carries a piece of what Jordan stood for.
“Our community has lost an incredible mentor, coach, and friend, but his legacy will continue to live on through the generations of young athletes he inspired.
“Rest easy, Coach.”
Robert Gillis, a member of the Eagle City Council, also wrote on Facebook that he had met Devey in May during a city council hearing involving a developer and family seeking approval for a large home build in the Avimor area. Gillis said he learned that the hopeful homeowner was Eagle High School Football Coach Jordan Devey.
He described him as “a very big strong healthy looking man who was very respectful and likeable.” Gillis added that he was “extremely sad” to get the calls and texts that informed him of Devey’s death, and wrote about the need to keep trying to address mental health and wellness, saying, “Every life is worth saving.”
Messages from around the football world also reflected on the loss. Breiden Fehoko wrote, “Another NFL brother lost to the mental health battle.
Rest in peace Jordan Devey. I promise this shit is very real.
It’s dark, it’s lonely, it’s cold, and this shit affects every part of your life. The anxiety..ptsd..depression it’s all real.”
Keaton posted, “R.I.P Jordan Devey. Make sure to check on your friends and family.
You never know what they’re going through”
Memphis Recruits also noted his college career, writing that he started 24 straight games in two seasons at Memphis and played all 1,568 snaps on offense, before going on to an eight-year NFL career and winning Super Bowl XLIX with the Patriots.
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