Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker O.J. Brigance, who battled ALS for years and became a prominent advocate for raising awareness about the debilitating disease, has died, the Ravens announced Monday. He was 56.

Brigance played just one season with the Ravens in 2000 but was a key contributor to the team's Super Bowl XXXV championship season. He led the Ravens with 25 special teams tackles during the regular season and added 10 more in the playoffs.

Brigance recorded the first tackle in Super Bowl XXXV as the Ravens rolled to a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants.

However, it was Brigance's fight off the field that earned him widespread respect.

Brigance was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2007. According to the ALS Association, the average survival time after an ALS diagnosis is about three years, while approximately 10% of people with ALS live 10 years or longer.

"We are devastated by the awful news that we have lost O.J. Brigance," Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said. "O.J. was a beloved legend, mentor and man to everyone who was fortunate enough to know him. He was a vibrant person who became one of the first Ravens heroes with his passionate play, including the first tackle in the 2000 Super Bowl."

Brigance lived with ALS for more than 19 years.

In 2008, Brigance and his wife, Chanda, founded the nonprofit Brigance Brigade Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars for ALS research and resources.

The foundation's mission is to "improve the life of PALS and their families by providing access to support services, needed equipment and resource guidance."

Each year, WJZ partners with the Brigance Brigade for its annual walk and run, which raises money for the organization's People Living with ALS, or PALS, grants. The grants are awarded to families to help offset the costs of caregiving services, equipment and other expenses.

Words of support poured in from Brigance's former teammates, coaches and members of the Baltimore Ravens organization following his death.

"We have lost a very special soul in O.J. Brigance," former Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "O.J. has been a member of the Ravens family for over 25 years and was an inspiring symbol of grace, class, compassion and competitive competence. If asked who best represents what we all aspire to as an organization and a person, O.J. would be the first person I would point to. Our thoughts are with his family with this loss, but he will forever remain in our hearts."

Ravens President Emeritus Dick Cass said he was "heartbroken."

"No one embodied what it means to be a Raven quite like O.J. Brigance," Cass said. "Not just the unforgettable first tackle in Super Bowl XXXV, but for every day since, when he showed all of us how to fight with faith and grace."

Ravens Executive Vice President Ozzie Newsome said he was "devastated and at a loss for words."

"He was a hero to this city long before his courageous battle with ALS and became an even greater inspiration in the way he faced it with the same fight, faith and grace he brought to the football field," Newsome said. "O.J.'s service to our community, to the Ravens and the fight for a cure for ALS will never be forgotten. He was and always will be a beloved mentor and man. With heartfelt sorrow, we extend our deepest sympathies to Chanda and the Brigance family."

Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta called Brigance an inspiration.

"O.J. inspired us with humility, faithfulness, determination, competitiveness and love for humankind," DeCosta said. "We never once saw O.J. angry or frustrated by his disease. Instead, we all witnessed a hero who influenced so many people through his unwavering optimism and grit. O.J. Brigance is the definition of what it means to live like a Raven."