Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith jogged by himself up and down the sideline at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday night hours after the death of his younger brother.
It was a solitary moment for the grieving Smith shortly after rejoining his teammates four hours before kickoff against the New England Patriots. And it was less than 18 hours after Smith learned that his brother, Tevin Jones , had died when his motorcycle struck a utility pole in the Montross area of Virginia, Westmoreland County Sheriff C.O. Balderson told The Baltimore Sun.
Jones, who was 19 years old, grew up being nurtured and mentored by his brother.
“I can't believe my little brother is gone,” Smith wrote on his Twitter account Sunday morning. “Be thankful for your loved ones and tell them you love them. .. This is the hardest thing ever.”
Smith posted a photograph of him and his brother, also writing: “I can't say a bad thing about him...proud to have him as a brother...RIP Tevin.”
According to Virginia State Police Sgt. Thomas J. Molnar, state police responded to the crash just before midnight on Route 672 Chatham Lane a half-mile west of Route 645 Zacata Road in Westmoreland County.
Jones’ 2006 Yamaha YZF-R1 was traveling eastbound on Route 672 when he ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a utility pole, according to police.
Although he was wearing a helmet, police said Jones died at the scene.
“Alcohol is not a factor in the crash,” Molnar said. “The crash remains under investigation.”
The Ravens left the decision on whether to play up to Smith, who set franchise rookie records last season with 50 receptions for 841 yards and seven touchdowns. Smith opted to play and started. Before the game, the Ravens observed a moment of silence for Jones.
“Torrey's priority is his family,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We understand that completely. .. This is devastatingly sad, sad news.
“Torrey and his family are a close, special family, and our hearts and thoughts reach out to all of them. Our hearts ache. We pray for Tevin, his mother, Torrey and the rest of the family. God bless Tevin.”
Several Ravens, including wide receivers LaQuan Williams and Tandon Doss and running back Ray Rice expressed their condolences to Smith and his family via Twitter.
In Virginia, King George High School football coach Jeff Smith, was shocked early Sunday morning when he heard Jones had been involved in a fatal accident. Jones was the starting quarterback for King George two years ago as a senior, and Jeff Smith remembered him as a friendly, trouble-free young man.
“Tevin was a happy-go-lucky kid, always smiling, he never had a bad day,” Jeff Smith said . “He was one of those kids who you enjoy coaching. It was a pleasure to have him be a part of my program. He led the way for the other guys by doing things the right way. His teachers loved him. Tevin did everything by the book.
“He wasn't a kid to stay out late or get into trouble. He was working and doing well for himself. He was a good athlete, good football player. Being our quarterback, mentally and physically he had it all. The kids believed in him, we believed in him. He did a great job for us. He was a tremendous athlete.”
Jeff Smith didn't coach Torrey Smith, who attended Stafford High School in Falmouth, Va., but got to know him through his brother over the past few years.
“Torrey has done a lot for our program through his foundation and Under Armour, and we're very appreciative,” Jeff Smith said. “He's very cordial, very polite. He's very, very close to Tevin. I'm speechless trying to think of how he feels and the position he's in. My heart goes out to all the immediate family.”
Along with his mother, Monica Jenkins, Torrey Smith helped raise Jones , and his six younger siblings through difficult circumstances. That included the absence of Torrey Smith's biological father, his mother being the victim of domestic violence and her six-month incarceration for an altercation with a relative.
“He was the man of the house from a very young age,” Jeff Smith said. “They all chipped in and took care of each other. Tevin would look out for his little brothers and sisters when Torrey went off to school at Maryland. They all did whatever they needed to do.”
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