When John Harbaugh looks back on Joe D’Alessandris’ life, he remembers stories from a time before D’Alessandris became an NFL offensive line coach.
“He worked in the steel mill when he was 17 and 18 years old. … You know, the molten steel coming out of the big vats?” Harbaugh said Monday after practice. “Let’s bring back the steel mills, because guys like Joe D’Alessandris worked in the steel mills as a teenager.
And he did mention that what he learned from the older guys working in the steel mill was that before you started your shift, you had a shot of whiskey. One shot of whiskey to get you ready for your tour of duty.”
Harbaugh spoke after practice Monday, following the Baltimore Ravens’ announcement of D’Alessandris’ death at age 70. D’Alessandris had recently stepped down from his role as the offensive line coach on Harbaugh’s staff due to an unspecified illness.
This is another sad loss for the team, coming after former receiver Jacoby Jones passed away in July at age 40.
D’Alessandris spent over forty years coaching offensive linemen and worked with four NFL teams. He joined Harbaugh and the Ravens in 2017.
“He was kind of an inspiration for all of us,” Harbaugh said. “We want to honor him for sure with this season, and we want to honor Jacoby Jones with this season.
These are two people we’re dedicating our season to this year, and we’ll do everything we can to make them proud when they’re watching, from wherever they are.”
D’Alessandris was also an assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers. Before his NFL career, he coached at several colleges, as well as in the CFL and World League.
Though he played at Western Carolina, D’Alessandris was originally from Aliquippa, a town near Pittsburgh.
