WACO, Texas (KWTX) – John Morris, the Voice of the Bears, confirmed with KWTX that Baylor legend J.J. Joe passed away at the age of 54 on Tuesday, Feb. 25 from a suspected heart attack.
Joe, who quarterbacked the Bears from 1990-1993, was inducted into the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 27, 2006.
Joe led the bears to back-to-back bowl games as quarterback before he graduated in 1993.
In 2004, he joined the Baylor football radio broadcast team as a color analyst for over 20 years.
Morris says that Joe brought passion into their booth and to the fans.
“We just knew he’d be perfect at it, and he was, he’s so smart, he knows football so well, he’s so articulate… he’s a Baylor guy too, you can be a color analyst from a network but he’s a Baylor guy and he knows Baylor through and through,” Morris recalled.
Sideline analyst, Ricky Thompson, says that Joe’s expertise on football brought a new perspective to their show.
“He knew the game backwards and forwards, knew what to look for, was really good at laying out the picture of what was happening from a radio perspective…scream before there was ever a touch down because he would see it coming so he makes the call on the air before the play even takes place,” Thompson said.
Morris says Joe will be missed by their team and his legacy will be felt by Baylor fans for years to come.
“I’ve heard from so many Baylor fans, even in the last 24 hours, about how much they are going to miss hearing J.J. on the radio and I agree…I agree completely, so I think he will be remembered very fondly by everyone that knew him, and everyone that has heard him on the broadcast for the last 21 years.”
Joe is survived by his wife and three sons, funeral and visitation information is yet to be released.
