Vincent Jackson has passed away. The former NFL wide receiver, who spent his playing career with the San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was found dead in a hotel room in the Tampa area on Monday, according to local authorities. He was just 38 years old.
Following a college career at Northern Colorado, Jackson arrived in the NFL as a second-round draft pick by the Chargers in 2005. Over the course of his 12-year career, which took him to Tampa Bay in 2012, he appeared in a combined 162 regular season and playoff games and was named to three Pro Bowls.
Along the way, Jackson also played six games against the New England Patriots: even though only one of those games was won by his team, he was immensely productive by catching 30 passes for 529 yards and three touchdowns.
Jackson announced his retirement from the NFL in 2018. Shortly before his death, he was subject of a missing persons report filed by his family. Authorities did find him at the hotel complex where he later died at, canceling the case after assessing his well-being.
After the news of his passing broke, the Chargers released the following statement:
We are shocked and deeply saddened by news of Vincent Jackson’s sudden passing. Vincent was a fan favorite not only for his Pro Bowl play on the field but for the impact he made on the community off of it. The work he has done on behalf of military families through his foundation in the years since his retirement has been an inspiration to all of us. We simply cannot believe he’s gone, and our hearts go out to his wife, Lindsey, their children, his parents, former teammates and everyone whose lives were touched by having known Vincent.
The Buccaneers followed with a statement of their own shortly thereafter:
We are shocked and saddened to hear the terrible news regarding the loss of Vincent Jackson. During his five seasons with our franchise, Vincent was a consummate professional, who took a great deal of pride in his performance on and off the football field. Vincent was a dedicated father, husband, businessman and philanthropist, who made a deep impact on our community through his unyielding advocacy for military families, supported by the Jackson in Action 83 Foundation.
He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for his accomplishments on the field, but his greatest achievements as a Buccaneer were the four consecutive nominations he earned as our Walter Payton Man of the Year. Our deepest condolences go out to his wife, Lindsey, and the entire Jackson family.