Death of former Buccaneer Vincent Jackson

Monday morning, February 15th at 11:39 am, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office received a phone call stating a man was dead. That man was no other than former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Wide Receiver, Vincent Jackson, 38. Jackson had a long 12-year career that started with the San Diego Chargers in 2005 and ended with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-16).

The autopsy reported that Jackson was a chronic alcoholic and suffered from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a neurodegenerative disease that is linked to repeated blows to the head. With a 12-year career in the NFL, Jackson was known to have taken a couple of blows to the head, therefore not counting CTE out as a cause of death.

Jackson was staying in a hotel in Brandon, Florida when he was discovered lifeless by a housekeeper. Hotel staff had entered Jackson’s room the two previous days and found him sitting in a chair, but thought he was sleeping. It wasn’t until the third day, Monday the 15th, that they thought they should check to see if Vincent Jackson was alive. Upon inspection, Jackson was dead and 911 was called.

The Jackson family has decided to have Vincent Jackson’s brain be donated to Boston University’s CTE Center.

Mitch Perez - Staff Writer