DENTON, TEXAS (ABC4) – It’s been exactly 365 days since the accidental shooting death of 2020 PAC-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, Ty Jordan, shocked the college football world. Jordan died on December 26, 2020 in Denton, Texas, near the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. He was 19.
According to Denton Police Department, they responded to a report of a gunshot victim in the 100 block of Avenue B. The individual, later identified as Ty Jordan, was pronounced deceased and later determined he accidentally shot himself.
Jordan had a breakout freshman season, rushing for 597 yards and six touchdowns, earning him All-Pac-12 second-team honors to go along with the 2020 Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year award. Jordan was the first Utah player to earn conference Freshman of the Year honors in 20 years.
Following Jordan’s death, fellow Utah teammate, Aaron Lowe, to honor him, switched changed his number from #2 to #22. The number that Jordan wore. Lowe and Jordan were also high school teammates. Unfortunately, Lowe would wear the number for only two games, as he was killed on Sept. 26 at a house party in the Foothill area of Salt Lake City, where he was shot multiple times. It was exactly nine months after Jordan’s death.
The University of Utah football team honored both Jordan and Lowe throughout the 2021 season. The #22 became the first number in Utes history to be retired. The number was retired between the first and second quarters during Utah’s game against UCLA on October 30. The Utes also honored Jordan and Lowe with a new helmet design during their regular-season finale against Colorado.
Inspired by the deaths, the Utes went on win their first PAC-12 Championship in school history and first ever Rose Bowl game. The Utes take on Ohio State in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2022.
