- Former
NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson was found dead on Monday in a Florida hotel room. - The cause of
death remains unclear, but his family says he experienced a number ofhealth problems. - His family said he experienced chronic alcoholism and long-term effects of
concussions .
The family of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson says the
Jackson, 38, was found dead on Monday morning in a hotel room in Brandon, Florida. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office is still determining the cause and manner of death.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office told USA Today that investigators had spoken with the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver's family, who said they "had reason to believe 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.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in an interview with WRBQ-FM that Jackson's family believed he had "a lot of concussion problems" from his time playing football.
"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," Chronister told the local Tampa radio station.
Jackson was drafted into the NFL in 2005, and played for the San Diego Chargers before joining the Buccaneers in 2012. He retired from football in 2016.
He had been staying at the hotel where he was found dead since January 11.
His family had reported him missing on February 12, but the case closed on February 13 when sheriff's deputies found him at the hotel and assessed his wellbeing.
On Monday morning, a housekeeper found him dead in his room with no signs of trauma.