LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty Athletics is mourning the loss of a football great.
Jessie Lemonier, a former Flames linebacker, has passed away at age 25. At this time, it is unclear what may have led to his death.
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“The Liberty Athletics family is deeply saddened to learn about the passing of former Flames football great Jessie Lemonier,” Liberty Athletics said in a statement.
“Jessie was loved by Flames Nation for being a fierce competitor on the gridiron and cherished by his coaches and teammates in the locker room. Liberty Athletics will continue to keep his family and friends in our prayers that God may bring peace and comfort to them during the difficult days ahead.”
In a news release, the university praised Lemonier for his many accomplishments while at the school, such as helping Liberty transition from the FCS to the FBS level during his two seasons with the Flames in 2018-19.
During his senior year, the football standout would go on to earn MVP honors in the 2019 Cure Bowl after pushing the Flames to its first-ever bowl game victory. In that bowl game alone, he had eight tackles, including two sacks.
Lemonier ended his career for the Flames with 20.5 sacks, which at the time was third most in program history.
During his two-year Liberty career, Lemonier ranked third among FBS players nationally in total sacks recorded during the 2018 and 2019 campaigns.
After his time at Liberty, Lemonier played in the NFL for three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020, Detroit Lions in 2021 and Arizona Cardinals in 2022.