Ex-NFL Player Found Dead in Florida

Vincent Jackson, a 38-year-old ex-NFL player, was found dead in a hotel room in Florida.

What We Know:

• According to police reports, Jackson was reported missing by his family on Wednesday, February 10th. The search was halted two days later after police were able to make contact with the athlete, who had been staying at the Homewood Suites hotel since January 11th.
• Jackson was found dead by a housekeeper in his hotel room on Monday morning. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is working with medical examiners to determine Jackson’s cause of death after finding no apparent signs of trauma at the scene.
• Currently, it is unclear why Jackson was staying at the Homewood Suites hotel as he and his wife of 10 years, Lindsey VanDeweghe, and his three young children lived together in a $3.5 million mansion at the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club in Tampa.
• According to the Bleacher Report, Jackson played college football at the University of Northern Colorado before becoming a second-round draft pick for the Chargers in 2005. He spent his first seven seasons as a wide receiver for the Chargers before playing his final five seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jackson ended his NFL career in 2018 as a three-time Pro Bowler who finished his career with 540 catches for 9,080 yards and 57 touchdowns.
• The Hillsborough County has felt Jackson’s passing deeply. He was an active philanthropist who founded the Jackson in Action 83 Foundation in 2012. The charity offered support to military families, focusing on the educational, emotional, and physical health of children.

Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister commented on his death saying, “My heart aches for the many loved ones Vincent Jackson leaves behind, from his wife and children to the Buccaneers nation that adored him. Mr. Jackson was a devoted man who put his family and community above everything else.”