The Tragic Death Of Former Detroit Lions Linebacker Jessie Lemonier

The Detroit Lions have announced that linebacker Jessie Lemonier has died at the age of 25. "We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of former Detroit Lion Jessie Lemonier," the organization wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. "Jessie was a model teammate and wonderful young man who is gone far too soon. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time." Lemonier would have turned 26 years old on January 31. The cause of death is not known.

According to Sports Illustrated, Lemonier was a Liberty University alum who became an undrafted free agent in 2020. He signed with the Los Angeles Chargers that year and in 2021, he signed with the Lions. He was claimed off waivers and later released by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2022 season.

Lions linebacker coach Kelvin Sheppard pointed out his "laid-back" attitude. "I tell him he belongs on the beach because he has this laid-back demeanor to him," the coach said of his former linebacker in 2021 (via Pride of Detroit). He mentioned that Lemonier sometimes needed to be "pushed" in order to get him to play at his full potential, indicating that it may have affected his performance on the field.

Once news of Jessie Lemonier's untimely death broke, both fans and those who knew the football pro took to Twitter to remember him. "Jessie Lemonier was one of my roommates in college. One of the most humble and hardworking people I have ever met," one Twitter user wrote. Another friend of the linebacker shared a sweet anecdote. "Whenever he'd see me, he would yell 'hey Jessie!' laughing because we shared the same name. Such a light and joy to be around," they recalled.

After the Detroit Lions posted about Lemonier's passing on Twitter, multiple fans showed up in the replies to reminisce about the impact he had during his stint with the team. "I was at the game last year when he sacked Rodgers. Sending prayers," one fan commented. Another follower questioned why Lemonier was not with the franchise longer. "He played well and then didn't make the team the following season over a couple lesser guys. Never understood it," they wrote. That appeared to be a common unanswered question throughout the defensive player's career.

In the summer of 2022, when the Arizona Cardinals cut Lemonier before the start of the regular season, Walter Mitchell of SB Nation's Revenge of the Birds site was left perplexed. Mitchell wrote an article titled "The Curious Case of Jessie Lemonier" which questioned the team's decision to not sign the linebacker. Sadly, both Lemonier's career and life were cut too short.