Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tray Walker was pronounced dead at 5 p.m. ET Friday following a motorcycle accident on Thursday night in Miami, his agent Ron Butler confirmed.
Walker suffered serious head injuries after colliding with an SUV at an intersection while riding dirt bikes with friends. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami in critical condition, and reportedly spent the night in surgery. Butler said several hours before his death that Walker was still unresponsive.
"We have two sons not too much older than Tray, and we can't imagine how much his family is suffering," said Ravens owner Steve Biscoitti in a statement released by the team. "This is so sad. The right words are hard to find at a time like this. As much as we can comfort Tray's mom and the rest of his family, we will."
"Tray was a young man with a good and kind heart," said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. "He was humble and loved everything about being part of the Ravens’ team. He loved his teammates, the practice and the preparation, and that showed every day. He was coachable, did his most to improve, and worked to become the best. I'll never forget that smile. He always seemed to be next to me during the national anthem; then we would give each other a big hug. May he rest in the Peace of Christ Jesus forever."
Police said that the dirt bike that Walker was riding had no lights, and that they will be continuing their investigation of the incident. The driver of the SUV was unharmed.
The 23-year-old had just completed his first NFL season after being drafted by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Walker dedicated the season to his father, who died in November 2014.
"This upcoming season, the whole process of right now, I dedicate that to him," Walker told Aaron Wilson the Baltimore Sun. "That's all he wanted. He just wanted the best for me and prayed to God that I would get this chance, and now I'm here."
