A preliminary report from the Hillsborough County medical examiner has revealed more about the death of former NFL Pro Bowl player Vincent Jackson.
The preliminary report from the medical examiner indicates that Jackson most likely died days before he was found Monday in the Homewood Suites hotel room in Tampa, Florida, according to an NBC Sports report.
The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Department said hotel staff entered Jackson’s room on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14. But they assumed he was sleeping after finding him sitting slouched over on the couch and left. Hotel staff members became concerned Feb. 15 “when they found [him] in the same position.”
Jackson’s family reported him missing Feb. 10. Police confirmed his whereabouts Feb. 12 and closed his missing person’s case. Earlier this week, his loved ones gave a glimpse into some of the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver’s battles.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, in a statement to USA TODAY on Wednesday, said the investigation into Jackson’s death continues, but Jackson’s loved ones told authorities “he may have suffered from chronic alcoholism and concussions.”
“However, the exact cause and manner of Mr. Jackson’s death will not be certain until his autopsy, among other reports, is complete,” the sheriff’s office said.
It will likely take weeks to find out the exact manner of death, Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office spokesperson Michelle VanDyke said in a statement.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister told local radio station WRBQ-FM that the family believed injuries Jackson sustained during his NFL career and alcoholism might be the root cause of his death.
“(Jackson’s family members) believe he had a lot of concussion problems,” Chronister told the station. “And when you suffer from that, you’re not yourself. You’re not your normal self. They believe wholeheartedly that all of these actions are a result of what he suffered while he was playing in the NFL.”
His death, still under investigation, has caused many players to speak out about their shock and sadness in regard to Jackson’s tragic death and the sudden deaths of other NFL alums. Ryan Leaf, the second overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, said he felt “survivor’s remorse” after hearing about Jackson’s mysterious passing.
He said the wave of deaths of players, such as the recent one of former Baltimore Ravens running back Lorenzo Taliaferro, who was 28 years old when he died in December, should be a red flag for the league. Leaf, who also played for the Buccaneers, said he has visited with former players that are in psych wards.
“My NFL brothers continue to die and nobody is doing a (expletive) thing about it,” Leaf said in a video posted Tuesday on Twitter. “I talked to another brother who spent the weekend in a psych ward today. The NFL just doesn’t (expletive) care. They’ll write condolence letters... but if they were actually invested, they’d actually put some money behind the legends community and into the mental health, substance abuse side of it.”
Jackson played for the San Diego Chargers for seven seasons before becoming a free agent because of a contract dispute. He then went on to play five seasons with the Buccaneers before retiring in 2018.
His fans expressed their shock and grief across social media.
“We are all mourning the loss of our beloved @VincentTJackson. His wife and family ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time,” tweeted the Jackson In Action 83 Foundation, a nonprofit that Jackson founded to support military families.
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